HOME DEPARTMENT

Prison Population (Drugs Act)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the effect on the size of the prison population of the implementation of the provisions of the Drugs Act 2005.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 6 September 2010
	Between 2005 and 2008 the number of immediate custodial sentences under the Drugs Act 2005 was 12, imposed on offenders who failed to comply with an initial or follow up assessment for specified Class A drug misuse. We have made no further estimate of the impact on the size of the prison population, other than the impact assessment that accompanied the Bill. The Government will shortly lay before Parliament a memorandum providing a post-legislative assessment of the Drugs Act 2005.

Police: Accountability

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has  (a) prepared a regulatory impact assessment and  (b) estimated the cost to the public purse of implementing its proposals to introduce elected police commissioners.

Theresa May: holding answer 6 September 2010
	A full impact assessment will be prepared and published ahead of the introduction of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill later in this session. We are still consulting with the public and with partners about many aspects of the policy, and will be publishing estimates of costs following that consultation.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members' Staff: Allowances

Grahame Morris: To ask the Leader of the House what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority on the experience of staff of hon. Members of the expenses scheme.

George Young: I have regular discussions on a range of issues with representatives of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, including the experience of staff of hon. Members of the expenses scheme.

Members' Staff: Allowances

Grahame Morris: To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members claimed for  (a) professional advice,  (b) cleaning,  (c) janitorial or reception services,  (d) maintenance services for computer hardware and software,  (e) interpreting and translation services,  (f) recruitment services and  (g) training for their staff from their staffing allowance in 2009-10.

George Young: The numbers of Members who have had costs met from their 2009-10 staffing expenditure for each of the categories requested are as follows:
	 (a) professional advice: 14
	 (b) cleaning: 22
	 (c) janitorial or reception services: 7
	 (d) maintenance services for computer hardware and software: 7
	 (e) interpreting and translation services: 1
	 (f) recruitment services: 4
	 (g) training for their staff: 30.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency: Standards

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve the performance of  (a) the Child Support Agency and  (b) the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission against its objectives.

Maria Miller: The Child Support Agency has improved its performance over the last few years against its objectives. This can be seen in the latest quarterly summary of statistics published on 28 July 2010:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0610.html
	The objectives for the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, which has responsibility for the Child Support Agency, are set out in its business plan for 20010-11:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/Business-Plan-2010.pdf
	However despite positive progress, significant challenges remain. I have had a number of meetings with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to establish how current delivery fits with the Coalition Government priorities.
	As with all areas of Government expenditure, detailed plans are subject to review.

Children: Poverty

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were lifted out of relative poverty between 1997 and May 2010.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	Figures for 1997-98 cover Great Britain only, as Northern Ireland data did not become available until the following year. The latest available data covers 2008-09.
	Between 1997-98 and 2008-09, the number of children with incomes below 60% of the contemporary median income reduced by around 0.7 million in Great Britain.
	In 1997-98, there were around 3.4 million children in relative poverty in Great Britain, which equates to around 27% of all children. The 2008-09 UK figures show that around 2.8 million children were in relative poverty, equating to around 22%.
	
		
			  Table: Number of children living in households with less than 60 per cent of contemporary median household income, before housing costs 
			   M illion 
			 1997-98 (GB) 3.4 
			 1998-99 (UK) 3.4 
			 1999-2000 (UK) 3.4 
			 2000-01 (UK) 3.1 
			 2001-02 (UK) 3.0 
			 2002-03 (UK) 2.9 
			 2003-04 (UK) 2.9 
			 2004-05 (UK) 2.7 
			 2005-06 (UK) 2.8 
			 2006-07 (UK) 2.9 
			 2007-08 (UK) 2.9 
			 2008/09 (UK) 2.8 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures are single financial years. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) modified equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of adults and children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. 7. These statistics are based on incomes Before Housing Costs.  Source:  Households Below Average Income, DWP

Crisis Loans

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department provides to people applying for crisis loans on the  (a) basis for the application of the habitual residence test and  (b) criteria used to determine the outcome of that test.

Steve Webb: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) General guidance for people applying for Crisis Loans is available on the Direct Gov website and leaflet DWP1007. Applications are normally made by telephone and people can discuss their circumstances with the Crisis Loan decision-maker.
	The Habitual Residence Test does not preclude the payment of a Crisis Loan if the application is made as a consequence of a disaster. If the application is not to alleviate the consequences of a disaster and the applicant has failed the Habitual Residence Test, in relation to a claim for an income-related benefit, a Crisis Loan will not be awarded.
	 (b) The Habitual Residence Test is applied to everyone who claims an income-related benefit such as Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. To satisfy the test a person must first have a right to reside and secondly, be actually habitually resident in the Common Travel Area(1) (CTA). A person who fails either or both parts of the test is treated as a person from abroad and does not have access to these benefits.
	In deciding whether a person is actually habitually resident, decision makers, who decide entitlement to benefit, consider a wide variety of factors. These include reasons for coming to the United Kingdom, the length of their stay, future intentions, previous links with the country and, in the case of people returning to the United Kingdom, the reasons for their absence.
	(1) The United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and the Republic of Ireland.

Departmental Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which he is responsible in each year since 2005.

Chris Grayling: Total consultancy spend since 1 April 2005 for DWP (including Executive Agencies and CMEC), and its non-departmental bodies (NDPBs) is provided as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year spend 
			  £ million 
			  Body  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 DWP (including CMEC) 130.29 162.62 76.48 95.18 72.08 
			 Disabled Living Allowance Advisory Board 0 0 0 0.001 0 
			 Disability Employment Advisory Committee 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Equality 2005 0 0 0.02 0 0 
			 Health and Safety Executive 1.37 0.69 0.44 0.78 1.96 
			 Industrial Injuries Advisory council 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Independent Living Fund 0.07 0.15 0.02 0.01 0.06 
			 Personal Accounts Delivery Authority 0 0 0.37 11.25 8.47 
			 Pension Ombudsman/Pension Protection Delivery Fund Ombudsman (1)- (1)- 0.01 0.04 0.05 
			 Pension Protection Fund 0.8 1.57 1.75 1.6 1.97 
			 Social Security Advisory Committee 0 0 0 0 0 
			 The Pensions Advisory Service (1)- 0 0 0.05 0.08 
			 The Pensions Regulator 6.68 6.49 4.14 5.61 6.04 
			 Total Spend (including VAT) 139.21 171.52 83.23 114.52 90.71 
			 (1) Figures are not available.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: This information is not available in this format as the Department for Work and Pensions typically competes and contracts for particular consultancy services or outcomes on a fixed cost basis rather than by the number of consultant days worked.

Departmental Legal Costs

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much  (a) his Department and its predecessors and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows.
	
		
			  DWP Legal category spending by year 
			   Spend (£) 
			 2010-11 5,024,098 
			 2009-10 22,018,223 
			 2008-09 18,854,926 
			 2007-08 18,864,410 
			 2006-07 14,851,405 
			 2005-06 18,564,671 
			 2004-05 15,444,475 
			 2003-04 17,263,198 
			  Note: The 2010-11 spend is for the period 1 April to 30 June 2010 
		
	
	DWP's (including Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission) costs for external legal advice are shown in the table above. They are captured under a range of existing commercial contracts. Prior to 2003, this information was not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Body  1997 to 2002  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009 - 10 
			 Health and Safety Executive - 2,534,539 3,808,111 4,047,071 4,166,872 4,411,027 4,091,135 6,886,350 8,645,694 
			 Independent Living Fund - - - - 118,263 149,815 95,353 161,472 185,654 
			 Personal Accounts Delivery Authority - - - - - - 13,000 859,000 3,888,000 
			 The Pensions Advisory Service - - - 14,512 12,803 551 28,355 29,747 36,768 
			 The Pensions Regulator - - - - - - 571,591 1,069,888 2,362,604 
			 Pensions Ombudsman - - - - - - 39,252 45,000 35,698 
			 Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman - - - - - - - - - 
			 Social Security Advisory Committee - - - - - - - - 336.26 
		
	
	The following bodies were sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and its predecessors during the period for which information is requested. These bodies have either been closed or replaced by a successor body as shown as follows:
	Pensions Compensation Board was replaced by the Pension Protection Fund in April 2005;
	Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority ceased on 5 April 2005, its work is now done by The Pensions Regulator;
	The Appeals Service moved to the Department of Constitutional Affairs (now the Ministry of Justice) on 1 April 2006;
	Disability Rights Commissioner was subsumed into the Commission for Equality and Human Rights in September 2007;
	National Employment Panel ceased on 31 March 2008. Its functions have been incorporated into the UK Commission for Employment and Skills from 1 April 2008;
	Working Ventures UK closed down on 30 September 2009.
	NDPBs operate individual arrangements and I will let the hon. Member have information in relation to spend on legal advice for the following: The Pension Protection Fund, Disability Employment Advisory Committee, Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board, Equality 2025 and Industrial Injuries Advisory Council as soon as possible.

Departmental Public Relations

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value was of  (a) public opinion research and  (b) public relations contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years in each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK.

Chris Grayling: Financial data relating to all external spend of the Department are held on a consolidated UK basis. They cannot easily be broken down by nation, region of the UK, or by London without incurring disproportionate cost. The data provided below are therefore applicable to total spend across the UK.
	 (a) Public opinion research in each of the last five years
	My Department does not conduct opinion polling.
	My Department conducted annual omnibus surveys to monitor public attitudes to the Government's welfare reform programme in 2005-10.
	
		
			  Public Attitudes  £ 
			 2005-06 50,000 
			 2006-07 32,030 
			 2007-08 40,850 
			 2008-09 80,525 
			 2009-10 40,800 
		
	
	 (b) Public relations contracts in each of the last five years
	The Department contracts with PR agencies when there is a clear case that the agency's specific expertise and capacity will allow the Department to be more effective in its communications, or to meet a defined communications need that cannot be met by an in-house resource.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 1.481 
			 2006-07 1.332 
			 2007-08 1.097 
			 2008-09 1.2 
			 2009-10 0.947

Females: Public Expenditure

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on women of reductions in his Department's expenditure announced in the June 2010 Budget.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions is considering the equality impacts of all proposed reductions in the Department's welfare spending announced in the Budget on 22 June 2010.

Housing Benefit

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed changes to housing benefit levels on housing markets in areas with a high number of properties in the private rented sector.

Steve Webb: We will monitor the impact of the changes to housing benefit announced in the Emergency Budget through housing benefit data we routinely collect from local authorities. We will also be discussing with other Government Departments and the devolved Administrations other ways we might monitor the wider impact of these changes.

Housing Benefit: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many units of temporary accommodation in each local authority area in London had housing benefit payments above (a) the local housing authority caps as set out in the Budget Red Book and  (b) above the 30th percentile in the most recent quarter for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	The local housing allowance (LHA) arrangements only apply to the deregulated private sector, and for temporary accommodation there is no record of the notional bedroom entitlement or the broad rental market area to be able to compare them with the applicable LHA rates.

Industrial Health and Safety

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he consulted  (a) trade unions and  (b) families of people killed or injured at work on the terms of reference of Lord Young's review of health and safety legislation.

Chris Grayling: The Secretary of State did not consult with any organisations on the terms of reference for Lord Young's Health and Safety review.
	However, during the course of his review, Lord Young consulted with a number of organisations and key stakeholders, including, for example, the Trades Union Congress and Families Against Corporate Killers.

Local Housing Allowance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many  (a) pensioners and  (b) working age households received local housing allowance in March 2010 within each of the broad market rental areas;
	(2)  how many private tenants were in receipt of local housing allowance for  (a) shared room,  (b) one bedroom,  (c) two bedroom,  (d) three bedroom,  (e) four bedroom and  (f) five bedroom properties in March 2010 within each of the broad market rental areas covering each local authority;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of private tenancies in each broad market rental areas for which local housing allowance is claimed;
	(4)  how many private sector tenants of working age were receiving local housing allowance above the 30th percentile of rents in each broad market rental area in March 2010;
	(5)  how many private sector tenants of pension age were receiving local housing allowance above the 30th percentile of rents in each broad market rental area in March 2010;
	(6)  how many local housing allowance recipients are paying rents at or below the 30th percentile in each broad market rental area.

Steve Webb: The information is not available. The Department only collects case-specific data at the point the local authority makes a decision on a claim and this can be up to 12 months in the past. Broad rental market area boundaries are subject to regular review and can change resulting in new areas being created. To provide the requested information by broad rental market area for any specific month would require remapping each household on the area boundaries for that month which could be done only at a disproportionate cost.

Local Housing Allowance: Swindon

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in receipt of local housing allowance in Swindon receive a sum in benefit  (a) lower than,  (b) higher than and  (c) equal to the level of their rent payments.

Steve Webb: The Department for Work and Pensions published 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July, which includes analysis of the impact of removing the excess for those who receive housing benefit above their rent. Copies of the document are available in the Library. Table 14 shows the number of households assessed under the local housing arrangements for each local authority who were receiving housing benefit above their rent.
	Information on number of households receiving housing benefit awards equal or lower than their rent payments is not available at sub-national level.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 221-2W, on mortgages: Government assistance, when he expects to have developed an estimate of the effect of the changes proposed to the level of assistance under the Support for Mortgage Interest Scheme in the June 2010 Budget on the number of home repossessions in each of the next three years; and if he will publish the estimates.

Steve Webb: The Department does not capture information on reasons for ending a benefit claim, including support for mortgage interest, so specific information on the number of claimants who no longer receive support for mortgage interest payments because their property has been repossessed is not available.
	The Department is in the process of developing a model to estimate the impact of changes to support for mortgage interest on the number of repossessions. However any estimates will always be limited since detailed case-by-case information, such as arrears at the start of a claim, is not collected by the Department. The Department will consider whether the results can be used publicly once this is work is complete.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in support for mortgage interest benefit in each  (a) region,  (b) local authority and  (c) Jobcentre Plus district in the last 12 months; and how much was paid to those who were also in receipt of (i) income support, (ii) jobseeker's allowance and (iii) pension credit in each such case.

Steve Webb: Support for mortgage interest is not a benefit in its own right; it is one component in the calculation of entitlement to income-related benefits. However the Department's administrative records allow it to estimate the expenditures involved on this component.
	The information is not available in the format requested; the available information has been placed in the Library. The information relates to Great Britain, and the financial year 2009-10.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each region were in receipt of support for mortgage interest benefit in each region in the last 12 months; and how many of those were also in receipt of  (a) income support,  (b) jobseeker's allowance and  (c) pension credit in each such case.

Steve Webb: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Claimants of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance and pension credit in receipt of support for mortgage interest: by country and/or region, as at February and May 2009 
			   February  May 
			   IS  JSA  PC  IS  JSA  PC 
			 North East 3,900 700 6,200 3,900 1,100 6,400 
			 North West 11,700 1,500 15,000 11,800 2,500 15,000 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7,800 1,000 9,600 7,800 1,900 9,700 
			 East Midlands 5,900 1,100 7,100 5,900 1,500 7,300 
			 West Midlands 9,300 1,700 9,700 9,500 2,500 9,900 
			 East of England 6,600 1,000 9,700 6,600 2,200 9,700 
			 London 9,900 2,100 11,700 10,200 2,900 12,100 
			 South East 7,800 1,200 12,400 7,700 1,400 12,800 
			 South West 5,400 700 9,100 5,500 1,400 9,300 
			 Wales 5,600 600 7,700 5,600 1,000 7,800 
			 Scotland 5,300 500 16,400 5,000 1,200 16,500 
		
	
	
		
			  Claimants of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance and pension credit in receipt of support for mortgage interest: by country and/or region, as at August and November 2009 
			   August  November 
			   IS  JSA  PC  IS  JSA  PC 
			 North East 3,900 1,300 6,300 3,900 1,500 6,300 
			 North West 11,900 3,600 15,100 11,600 4,000 15,100 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7,800 2,700 9,500 7,500 3,300 9,700 
			 East Midlands 5,900 2,100 7,500 5,600 2,600 7,600 
			 West Midlands 9,100 3,400 9,700 9,100 4,500 10,000 
			 East of England 6,300 2,800 9,700 6,300 3,100 10,100 
			 London 9,900 3,700 11,900 9,900 4,400 11,700 
			 South East 7,700 2,000 13,000 7,600 2,400 12,900 
			 South West 5,500 1,800 9,400 5,300 1,900 9,500 
			 Wales 5,600 1,700 7,700 5,400 1,900 7,700 
			 Scotland 4,900 1,600 16,300 4,900 1,800 16,100 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) totals. 3. For jobseeker's allowance mortgage interest can only be claimed on income-based jobseeker's allowance. 4. Monthly figures are not available therefore the last four quarters data have been provided.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% sample

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claimants of each benefit type successfully appealed against a benefit sanction in 2009-10.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have been asked to reply.
	The First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) is responsible for considering appeals against decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Neither the Tribunals Service nor the Department for Work and Pensions is able to provide the information which the hon. Member has requested. This is because appeals against a benefit sanction are not separately identified as part of the appeals process.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office paid 100% of its July 2010 invoices within 10 days of receipt. The figures for August 2010 are not yet available.

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each such year.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office maintains the policy that road traffic violations remain the responsibility of the individual and are not reimbursed from public funds. As such, there has been no expenditure on transport-related fines since 2005.

Departmental Pensions

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by his Department in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2010-11.

David Mundell: Pension contributions incurred by the Scotland Office for the last three years are as follows:
	
		
			   Pension contributions (£) 
			 2007-08 345,063 
			 2008-09 361,312 
			 2009-10 396,268 
		
	
	The planned expenditure for 2010-11 is £430,194.

Departmental Responsibilities

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 975W, on departmental travel, what the  (a) location and  (b) times of arrival and departure were of each of his engagements on 13 July 2010.

Michael Moore: Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office encourages all staff to undertake learning and development activities. The majority of opportunities are provided through the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice; but where the training need is still not available within central Government, external training courses may be considered.
	The Office does not maintain a central record of external training courses attended or their associated costs.

TRANSPORT

Departmental Buildings

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much office space per employee his Department and its predecessors occupied in each year since 1997.

Norman Baker: As reported in the State of the Estate report the Department for Transport reported occupancy, excluding operational properties, of 12.4 square metres per person in 2007-08 and 12.7 square metres per person in 2008-09.
	Information for the period prior to 2007-08 can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Data for 2009-10 are currently being collated.

Departmental Empty Property

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department and its predecessors spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002 and comprises a central Department and seven executive agencies. Information for the period prior to this date is not available.
	The requested information, where recorded, is provided as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Property Centre  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 DfT Central-London HQ(1) 0 0 0 100,637 179,550 333,201 49,851 61,110 
			 Driving Standards Agency(2) - - - - - - - - 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency(3) 54,980 55,222 55,270 65,353 65,988 55,167 n/a n/a 
			 Highways Agency-Estates(4) - - - - 218,562 349,457 361,241 440,201 
			 Highways Agency-Road Schemes(5) - - - - - 1,896,091 1,812,015 2,418,289 
			 (1 )Relates to six vacant former Strategic Rail Authority properties that transferred to the Department on 16 October 2005. Spend includes rent, rates, service charge, professional fees, dilapidations and exit payments. All properties have been disposed of and there are no vacant properties on the central estate. (2 )Data for the period prior to 2010-11 are available only at disproportionate cost. (3 )Relates to one property which was disposed of in January 2008. (4 )These figures include rent/lease, service charge, maintenance, rates, utilities, professional fees and security. (5 )These costs are property fees only and do not include any supervision fees. 
		
	
	No other part of the Department has incurred spend on vacant properties.

Departmental Pay

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid in remuneration in total to civil servants in his Department in 2009-10.

Norman Baker: In total, £126,160,000 was paid as remuneration to civil servants by the Department for Transport in 2009-10. This includes pay, employer pension contributions and national insurance payments, as well as any taxable benefits and non consolidated performance related payments.

Departmental Rents

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid by his Department in rent for properties in  (a) total and  (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The total amount paid in rent, where recorded, is provided in the following table.
	The data requested (b) (i) (ii) and (c) is available only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			  Central Department:  
			 London HQ 10,845,104 13,461,748 12,894,592 12,743,755 12,804,285 
			 Marine Accident Investigation Branch(1) 76,063 76,063 76,063 76,063 160,073 
			 Rail Accident Investigation Branch 138,013 147,134 149,850 128,500 128,500 
			  Executive Agency :  
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 4,122,000 4,558,000 4,921,419 4,754,629 5,073,871 
			 Driving Standards Agency(2) (2)- (2)- 6,737,963 10,927,772 7,277,829 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 599,025 759,994 78,253 831,614 748,475 
			 Highways Agency(3) 6,932,704 7,409,106 7,435,417 11,394,288 11,321,661 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 3,403,733 3,433,058 3,795,598 3,617,736 3,569,149 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 3,504,000 3,040,000 3,299,000 3,977,000 3,099,000 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 170,843 206,040 224,722 215,954 191,181 
			 (1) 2009-10 data includes rent review and lease surrender rent. (2) Data for 2006-07 and 2005-06 not available due to accounting software issues. The drop in cost between 2008-09 and 2009-10 is because; (a) a number of leasehold properties were disposed of, (b) the rental cost of one of DSA's former HQ buildings was accounted for as a lump sum, for the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. This equalled £1.2million (excluding VAT) and (c) a change in the International Financial Reporting Standards meant some properties are now shown as 'long-term lease properties' and not 'rental properties'. (3) These costs exclude centrally funded rental costs associated with office moves. Prior to 2008-09, costs for our Regional Control Centres were managed centrally as part of the project to set up the Traffic Officer Service. It is not feasible to provide a regional breakdown of these costs, Costs for the Regional Control Centres are included from 2008-09 onwards.

Departmental Security

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons are for the increase in security costs incurred by his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies between 2000-01 and 2008-09.

Norman Baker: The figures provided in my answer of 27 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 1002-1004W, to your previous question, for the costs of protective security for this Department, its Agencies and sponsored bodies are from those records available centrally.
	The figures provided do not include costs where records are not available centrally or where such records no longer exist. Not all of the Department, its agencies and sponsored bodies were able to provide the requested security cost information for each year of this request. Therefore the total annual spend on security for earlier years has necessarily omitted any spend for those bodies that were unable to provide this information. This suppresses the total spending figures for earlier years when compared to more recent years where more complete information is available.
	In addition, central records are not to be taken as representative of total costs as there have been differences across the Department and its Agencies in approach to attributing administrative spend against security, as opposed to ICT, Estates, HR etc.
	In this respect it should be noted that the security costs for the central Department before 2007-08 did not include costs associated with the provision for National Security Vetting, at which time these functions were transferred from the Department's HR team to the security team.

Highways Agency: Compensation

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many claims were received by the Highways Agency under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 in the last 12 months; and what proportion of such claims were successful.

Michael Penning: In the 12 month period from July 2009 to July 2010, the Highways Agency received 4023 claims for compensation under Part 1 Land Compensation Act 1973.
	As a result of the process that claims are required to go through in order to establish eligibility and to calculate the amount of compensation payable, not all of the claims submitted over the last 12 months have been settled within that time. Therefore, I cannot estimate the proportion that will prove to be successful. On average, however, compensation is paid in 63% of claims submitted.
	Under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 ('the Act'), compensation can be claimed by people who own and also occupy property that has been reduced in value by more than £50 by physical factors caused by the use of a new or altered road. The physical factors are noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke and artificial lighting and the discharge on to the property of any solid or liquid substance.
	All Part 1 claims submitted to the Highways Agency are checked to ensure that claimants are both eligible to claim, and hold a qualifying interest in land as defined by the Act. The claims are then individually assessed by the Agency's independent valuation contractors to ensure that the correct amount of compensation is paid.
	The Agency aims to process and settle all claims as quickly as possible. For a small road scheme where there are a small number of claims which are straightforward, this will usually take about six months to complete. For larger road schemes where there are a large number of claims or if the claim is complex, the processing period may take longer, up to 18 months.

Road Traffic Offences

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the statutory requirement for local authorities to advertise traffic regulation orders; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The review of traffic signs policy was launched in September 2008. It includes an Enforcement Action Plan, within which is a task to:
	"Develop alternative models to the traffic regulation order process for the purpose of regulatory traffic signs. In particular, to consider whether more restrictions and prohibitions can be delivered directly through the regulations."
	The procedures for, and cost-effectiveness of, publicising proposed traffic regulation orders are being considered within that remit.
	The findings and recommendations of the review should be available by the middle of next year.

Roads: Safety

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding his Department plans to provide to each local authority through the road safety grant in 2010-11.

Michael Penning: The Government have made clear that an urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record deficit in order to restore confidence in our economy and support the recovery. As a contribution to addressing the record deficit, we therefore have reduced the previous plans for local authority funding in 2010-11.
	Central Government's financial support grant to local authorities is provided through a variety of mechanisms, such as formula grant (including the revenue support grant), specific grants and specific capital grants.
	The Government are clear that local government needs increased flexibility to take decisions locally. It has therefore retained the most flexible funding (formula grant) for 2010-11 at the level approved previously by Parliament (£29 billion).
	We have also lifted restrictions on how local government spends its money by removing ring-fences. We expect local authorities to be able to make savings from efficiency measures, eliminating waste and, where necessary, reducing spending in areas that are lower priorities for their communities. The fact that certain grants have been chosen for reduction over others does not mean that the Government expect there to be a direct correlation between grant reductions and local authority budget changes. For example, road safety grant was reduced as this grant was spread evenly across all local authorities, not because this was considered an area of lower priority spending.
	The road safety funding allocations for each local authority in 2010-11, as set at April 2010, can be found on the Department for Transport's website at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/localauthorities/funding/fundingstreams/capitalandrevenue/roadsafety/
	Reductions to 2010-11 grants are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localgovernmentfinance/

Tyres

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents involved a motor vehicle found to have  (a) illegal tread depth and  (b) poor tyre condition in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport does not hold any data on whether motor vehicles involved in road traffic accidents were found to have illegal tread depth or poor tyre condition. Since 2005 the police have collected information on contributory factors to personal injury road accidents. When a police officer attends the scene of a personal injury road accident they can report 'tyres illegal, defective or under inflated' as a contributory factor. The following table shows the number of accidents this factor was reported in for each year since 2005.
	
		
			  Reported personal injury accidents in which 'tyres illegal, defective or under inflated' was reported as a contributory factor( 1) : GB 2005-09 
			  Year of accident  Number of accidents  Percentage of all accidents 
			 2005 1,128 1 
			 2006 1,002 1 
			 2007 1,027 1 
			 2008 929 1 
			 2009 860 1 
			 (1) Includes only cases where a police officer attended the scene and a contributory factor was reported. 
		
	
	Contributory factors reflect the police officer's opinion at the time of reporting, and where a factor may have contributed to the cause of an accident it may be difficult for a police officer attending the scene after the accident to identify this, so factors may be under-reported. Not all reported road accidents are included in contributory factor analysis, only those where a police officer attended the scene and at least one contributory factor was reported.

DEFENCE

Departmental Travel

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his  (a) Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on travel for employees in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence spent £220 million on travel in 2008-09 and £210 million in 2009-10. These figures include air and rail fares, short-term car hire, the contract and fuel costs of our fleet and rented cars, motor mileage costs reimbursed to staff using their own vehicles on official duty journeys, the reimbursement of taxi, bus and underground fares, and most sea journeys. Comparable figures before 2008-09 and a breakdown below departmental level are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	A key principle is that travel should be avoided where the business need can be met by alternatives to travel, such as e-mail and video or audio conferencing.

Nimrod Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Nimrod MRA.4 procurement has cost to date; and what is the estimated cost of crew training and preparation for the aircraft prior to entering service.

Peter Luff: Procurement costs for the Nimrod MRA4 to June 2010 are approximately £3.4 billion.
	The design and implementation of the in-service support solution for the MRA4 aircraft is contracted as a single entity which includes the cost of crew training. The estimated total cost of the support solution up to the currently anticipated achievement of initial operating capability in October 2012 is £0.6 billion. In addition, the estimated cost of pay for RAF personnel undertaking the training until 2012 is £17.2 million.
	All projects are being considered as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, and the outcome of this is expected to be announced in the autumn.

EDUCATION

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children attend schools which have been rebuilt or refurbished under the Building Schools for the Future programme in  (a) Wansbeck constituency,  (b) Northumberland and  (c) England.

Nick Gibb: As Northumberland has not joined Building Schools for the Future (BSF), no children in the Wansbeck constituency or the local authority attend schools which have been rebuilt or refurbished under the programme.
	Exact figures in respect of England are not held centrally, but we estimate that in mainstream secondary schools around 167,000 students are attending schools that have received BSF investment. This is based on a number on roll of 1,100 for the average secondary school.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of the funding allocated by his Department to school building capital expenditure was administered under the Building Schools for the Future programme; and when he expects to announce details of future capital allocations for schools.

Nick Gibb: Building Schools for the Future has accounted for around one-third of the schools capital budget from 2004.
	On 5 July the Secretary of State announced a review of all areas of the Department for Education's capital spending. Its purpose is to ensure that future capital investment represents good value for money.
	The review team will produce an interim report in the autumn. Its report will guide future spending decisions over the next Spending Review period (2011-12 to 2014-15). It will also look at how best to meet parental demand; make current design and procurement cost-effective and efficient; and overhaul how capital is allocated and targeted.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will publish the advice he received prior to his decision to end Building Schools for the Future funding for a combined broad spectrum special school in Coventry South constituency;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of his decision to end the Building Schools for the Future programme on the  (a) Alice Stevens,  (b) Sherbourne Fields and  (c) Baginton Fields special schools in Coventry;
	(3)  what support he intends to provide for the  (a) Alice Stevens,  (b) Sherbourne Fields and  (c) Baginton Fields special schools in Coventry following the ending of the Building Schools for the Future programme;
	(4)  what his policy is on the provision of broad spectrum special schools following the ending of the Building Schools for the Future programme;
	(5)  what steps he is taking to ensure that special schools in Coventry have adequate facilities to meet the needs of their pupils.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 19 July 2010
	The Secretary of State considered wide-ranging advice from officials on the impact of his decision on the Building Schools for the Future programme, including advice about schools in Coventry. This advice did not cover the specific detail of the impact on special schools in Coventry.
	The cancellation of BSF does not represent the end of capital investment in schools. On 5 July the Secretary of State announced a review of the Department's capital programmes. The review will make recommendations to help the decisions of future capital investment in schools, to ensure that investment represents good value for money and strongly supports the Government's ambitions to reduce the deficit, raise standards and tackle disadvantage.

Children: Protection

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from organisations representing children's interests on his proposal to publish serious case reviews in full.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 22 July 2010
	The Government believe that publishing serious case review (SCR) overview reports will restore public confidence and improve transparency in the child protection system, and ensure that the context in which the events occurred is properly understood so relevant lessons are learnt and applied as widely as possible.
	Local Safeguarding Children Boards should publish the overview report and the executive summary-anonymised and without identifying details-for all SCRs initiated on or after 10 June unless there are compelling child welfare reasons not to.
	According to our records, by 20 July, the Secretary of State had received two written representations about this policy from organisations representing children's interests: one in support of full SCR disclosure from the Victoria Climbié Foundation; and one from Cumbria's local Safeguarding Children's Board raising concerns about anonymity, and frankness of participating practitioners. The President of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) also shared her views with DFE Ministers at the recent ADCS conference.

Education: Pay

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of  (a) teachers and  (b) support staff employed by schools and other education establishments in Colchester constituency will have their pay frozen as a result of the decision to freeze the wages of public sector workers;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of  (a) teachers and  (b) support staff employed by local education authorities will have their pay frozen as a result of the decision to freeze the wages of public sector workers.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 28 June 2010
	The Department does not hold this information.
	The Government have announced a two year pay freeze for public sector workers. For teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales this will take effect from September 2011 for two years. The Secretary of State announced on 22 June 2010 that teachers' pay will be increased by 2.3% from 1 September 2010. The minimum salary of a newly qualified teacher in England and Wales from 1 September 2010 will be £21,588. This exceeds the threshold of £21,000 above which the public sector pay freeze will start as announced in the emergency Budget on 22 June.
	There is no central mechanism for deciding the pay of school support staff, with employers having responsibility for determining salaries at local level. That responsibility rests with individual local authorities as the legal employer of support staff in community and voluntary controlled schools, and the governing body in foundation and voluntary aided schools.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education according to what criteria the pupil premium will be allocated.

Nick Gibb: On Monday 26 July the Secretary of State and the Children's Minister launched a consultation on our proposals for school funding in 2011-12, including options on the best deprivation indicator to use to allocate the pupil premium. The options being considered are:
	Free School Meal eligibility-which could be current eligibility or a measure of whether the pupil has ever been eligible for FSM;
	Tax Credit Indicator-pupils in families in receipt of out of work tax credit;
	and
	Commercial packages based on classifications of postcodes, such as Mosaic or Acorn.
	We are also seeking views on proposals about how to extend the coverage of the pupil premium to target Looked After Children, and children whose parents are in the armed forces.
	Full details of the consultation, and a copy of the written ministerial statement by the Secretary of State, can be found online at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/news/press-notices-new/pupil-premium

Schools: Standards

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of schools rated outstanding by Ofsted at their last inspection changed status in the last 10 years.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 19 July 2010
	3.8% of schools rated outstanding at their last inspection have changed their status as defined by their designated school type. This comprises schools that have changed between designations as community schools, community special schools, foundation schools, foundation special schools, voluntary aided schools and voluntary controlled schools.

Single Sex Education

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of state-funded single sex schools on the balance between the sexes in adjacent co-educational state-funded schools; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Under current legislation it is for local authorities to assess the likely impact of single sex maintained schools and to ensure there is equal access to single sex provision for the other sex where there is parental demand.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Manpower

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Attorney-General how many legally qualified staff have been recruited by the Treasury Solicitor's Department since May 2010; and where these posts were advertised.

Edward Garnier: No legally qualified staff have been recruited by the Treasury Solicitors Department since May 2010.

Departmental Temporary Employment

John Redwood: To ask the Attorney-General how many temporary staff are employed by  (a) the Law Officers' Departments and  (b) their agency.

Edward Garnier: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Department  Temporary staff( 1) 
			 AGO 0 
			 TSol 106 
			 HMCPSI 1 
			 NFA 3 
			 SFO 76 
			 CPS 293 
			 (1) Recorded data as at 30th June 2010, with the exception of CPS data which is taken from latest published figures from 315' March 2010.

Trade Unions

Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General how many paid manpower hours civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments spent on trade union-related duties and activities in each year since 1997.

Edward Garnier: TSol gives a facility time allowance to each of the two recognised Trade Unions (PCS and FDA) for its committee members; the monitoring of this allowance is delegated to local business managers and no central record is held of the actual amounts taken during any financial year. The same arrangement also covers AGO staff.
	The facility time allowed is as follows:
	PCS-an allocation of 1.3 full-time equivalent staff years for Group Office Holders, In addition, one hours facility time was allowed for each member to attend the Annual General Meeting.
	FDA-an allocation of approximately 0.15 full-time equivalent staff years for Group Office Holders. In addition, one hours facility time was allowed for each member to attend the Annual General Meeting.
	Information regarding the amount of time spent by Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff on trade union related duties and activities is not available for the period before 2008. The total time spent by paid CPS civil servants on trade union related duties and activities for both unions in the CPS during the periods 2008-09 and 2009-10 was 28, 515 hours and 35, 852 hours respectively.
	The Serious Fraud Office does not hold details on the number of days spent by staff engaged on trade union activities. It would be possible to provide such data only at a disproportionate cost.
	The size of HMCPSI does not justify an agreement for routine facility time. HMCPSI has a Whitley council which meets quarterly and is attended by FDA and PCS representatives, and where it is necessary for union representatives to devote time to specific activities on personal cases, this is done by agreement with their line manager. No formal record is maintained.
	No days were spent by civil servants of the National Fraud Authority on trade union-related activities while being paid salaries in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Trade Unions

Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General how many civil servants in the Law Officers' Department spent the equivalent of  (a) five days or fewer,  (b) five to 10 days,  (c) 10 to 15 days,  (d) 15 to 20 days,  (e) 20 to 25 days and  (f) 25 days or more on trade union-related activities or duties while being paid salaries from the public purse in each year since 1997.

Edward Garnier: TSol and AGO gives a facility time allowance to each of the two recognised Trade Unions (PCS and FDA) for its committee members; the monitoring of this allowance is delegated to local business managers and no central record is held of the actual amounts taken during any financial year.
	The facility time allowed is as follows:
	PCS - an allocation of 1.3 full-time equivalent staff years for Group Office Holders. In addition, one hour's facility time was allowed for each member to attend the Annual General Meeting.
	FDA - an allocation of approximately 0.15 full-time equivalent staff years for Group Office Holders. In addition, one hours facility time was allowed for each member to attend the Annual General Meeting.
	SFO and HMCPSl do not maintain central records of the exact amount of time spent by staff on trade union activity, and such information could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
	No days were spent by civil servants of the National Fraud Authority on trade union-related activities while being paid salaries in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
	Information regarding the amount of time spent by CPS civil servants on trade union related duties and activities are not available for the period before 2008. The requested breakdown of paid CPS civil servants carrying out trade union activities or duties during 2008-09 and 2009-10 is as follows:
	
		
			   Representatives/civil servants 
			  2008-09  
			 Over 25 days 20 
			 20 to 25 days 1 
			 15 to 20 days 3 
			 10 to 15 days 9 
			 five to 10 days 10 
			 Under 5 days 151 
			   
			  2009-10  
			 Over 25 days 32 
			 20 to 25 days 5 
			 15 to 20 days 5 
			 10 to 15 days 8 
			 five to 10 days 22

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Manpower

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the number of people employed in the creative industries.

Edward Vaizey: The last DCMS Creative Industries Economics Estimates bulletin, published in February 2010, reported that in the summer quarter of 2008, creative employment totalled just under 2 million jobs. This comprised over 1.1 million jobs in the creative industries and over 800,000 further creative jobs within businesses outside these industries. A further breakdown is published at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/research_and_statistics/4848.aspx

Departmental Motor Vehicles

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the expenditure on vehicles of  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in each region of England was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is in each case for 2010-11.

John Penrose: The Department's and The Royal Park's (TRP) executive agency expenditure on vehicles in the last three financial years are in the table. In May 2010 the Secretary of State cancelled the Department's car accounts and subject to some fees will save around £250,000 a year. The Royal Parks plan vehicle expenditure of £175,800 for 2010-11 based on existing budget.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  DCMS vehicle expenditure  TRP vehicle expenditure 
			 2007-08 376,861 201,636 
			 2008-09 276,668 210,549 
			 2009-10 318,501 189,977 
		
	
	The Department does not collate information on vehicle expenditure by its arm's length bodies. Accordingly, I have asked their chief executives to write to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Listed Buildings: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for what reasons the letter outlining his Department's decision to uphold English Heritage's listing of Coventry Market was sent to the hon. Member for Workington rather than to the hon. Member for Coventry South.

John Penrose: I apologise for the unfortunate administrative error, procedures have been tightened to prevent further occurrence.

Local Broadcasting

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will meet volunteers from East Coast FM to discuss community radio license availability.

Edward Vaizey: The licensing of community radio stations is a matter for Ofcom, who operate independently of Government.
	However, I would welcome the opportunity to hear from volunteers from East Coast FM on this issue.

Olympic Games 2012

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of funding for the Olympic Village was provided by  (a) private investors and  (b) the public sector.

Hugh Robertson: It was originally intended that the Olympic Village would be delivered by a private developer. However, as a consequence of the economic downturn, the previous Government decided that the private developer option did not offer the best value for money for the taxpayer and £650 million of funding for the Olympic Village was therefore provided from the public sector funding package for the 2012 Games. Additional funding of £268 million was provided by Triathlon Homes, a consortium of First Base, and East Thames and Southern registered social landlords, as part of the agreement to purchase 1,379 affordable homes, with the balance of funding due to be raised by sales of homes for occupancy after the Games. Further information on this arrangement was published in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Quarterly Economic Report, July 2009.

Olympic Games 2012

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions his Department has had on promoting the Big Society Agenda in relation to preparations for the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: My Department is in regular contact with other Departments, including the Office for Civil Society, about our plans to develop and deliver a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games and discussions include the extent to which those plans can help to meet our aspirations for the Big Society. An example of an area where we are exploring how the Games might help to deliver Big Society aspirations is through volunteering. The Games are reliant on volunteers: from Games-time venue-based volunteers to city volunteers in London, Weymouth and other venue locations plus at ports of entry and along the Torch Relay route. We also see great potential for the Games to inspire people across the country to volunteer and engage in their local communities.
	I plan to publish a document in the autumn setting out our vision for the legacy of the Games and confirming the legacy programme.

Olympic Games 2012: Loans

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether the Government has underwritten loans taken out by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Hugh Robertson: No, nor has the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) taken out any loans.
	The Government have however given a guarantee in support of the Olympic Delivery Authority's agreement with Triathlon Homes LLP who have undertaken to purchase 1,379 affordable homes on the Olympic Village Development, and took out loans as part of that agreement. The detailed arrangements of this were announced to Parliament in a ministerial written statement on 22 June 2009.
	The details of the ODA's financial position, including commitments, contingent liabilities, subsidiary companies and investments are set out in its annual report and accounts. The annual report and accounts for 2009-10 were laid before Parliament on 22 July and copies are available in the House Library or they can be accessed on the London2012 website at:
	http://www.london2012.com/publications/oda-annual-report-accounts-2010.php

Olympic Games 2012: Social Rented Housing

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of property in the Olympic Village will be converted into social housing after the London 2010 Olympic Games.

Hugh Robertson: After the 2012 Games the Olympic Village will be converted into a mix of private and social housing available for take-up by local people and others. In 2009 Triathlon Homes, a consortium of First Base, and Southern and East Thames registered social landlords, entered into an agreement with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to purchase 1,379 affordable homes in the Olympic Village, representing 49% of the homes available, with an option that 264 of those could be sold on the open market after one year which, if invoked, would reduce the proportion of affordable homes to 39.5%.

Olympic Games 2012: Volunteers

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to encourage volunteering by people from local London boroughs in the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is responsible for recruiting the up to 70,000 'games maker' volunteers required to stage the London 2012 games. LOCOG will launch the application process to the general public later this month, backed up with marketing across London boroughs as well as nation-wide. The games are for the whole of the UK and so all local boroughs, whether in London or not, should be encouraging their residents to consider whether to apply to this scheme. In addition, the Mayor of London is seeking expressions of interest for his 'London ambassador' scheme, seeking volunteers to welcome the world to London at train stations, tourist attractions and live sites.

Tourism: Visas

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will make an assessment of the effect on levels of inbound tourism of the cost of a visa to visit the UK compared to the cost of a visa to visit a country within the Schengen zone.

John Penrose: I have not made a detailed economic impact assessment of the comparative cost and convenience of obtaining UK and Schengen visitor visas, but I am aware of the tourism industry's grave concerns about the possible impact on inbound tourism. Accordingly, improving the pre-entry visa experience is something I am looking at as part of the Government's new tourism strategy, which will be published later in the year. I am working closely with the Home Office to look at simplifying and improving the process of arranging a visa, including whether there could be greater alignment of the UK and Schengen visitor visa processes.

VisitBritain: Marketing

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department plans to allocate additional funding to Visit Britain for the purposes of marketing related to the  (a) London 2012 Olympics and  (b) Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

John Penrose: Using the opportunities presented by major events, such as the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup, to create a lasting tourism legacy for all our nations remains a major priority. The funding of VisitBritain over the period 2011-15 is part of ongoing Spending Round considerations. Decisions on the outcome of the Spending Round will be announced in due course.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Constituencies

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether redefinition of constituencies consequent upon his proposals to equalise their size will take account of the historic county boundaries.

Mark Harper: The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, introduced on 22 July, requires that each constituency be wholly in one of the four parts of the United Kingdom. In addition, the rules allow the Boundary Commissions to take account, among other things of, local government boundaries (defined as the boundaries of counties and London boroughs) and local ties that would be broken by changes in constituencies. These considerations are subject to the central principle of the rules, which is that constituencies should be of more equal size.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received on the level of payments to local authority chief executives for their role in administering elections.

Mark Harper: To date, the Cabinet Office has received three parliamentary questions and four letters from MPs on behalf of their constituents.
	The Cabinet Office has also received correspondence from members of the public who have raised this matter along with other electoral issues.

TREASURY

Bank Services: Company Liquidations

Robin Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to access unclaimed funds in bank accounts of wound-up companies; and what discussions he has had with banks in respect of any outstanding charges to be levied on such accounts before transfer to the Exchequer.

Edward Garnier: I have been asked to reply.
	When a company registered under the Companies Acts is dissolved, any property and rights in England and Wales held by the company at the date of its dissolution (including any money in bank accounts) pass to the Crown as "bona vacantia". The Treasury Solicitor is the Crown's nominee for dealing with bona vacantia in England (except in the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster), Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, bona vacantia falls to be dealt with by the Queen and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. Income from bona vacantia is paid into the Consolidated Fund. Banks and other institutions holding such funds are entitled to make lawful deductions in respect of their charges before remitting the balance as bona vacantia.
	Where a company is placed in liquidation prior to being dissolved, the liquidator will apply any assets of the company (including any money in bank accounts) to pay its debts. In these circumstances by the time the company is dissolved there will ordinarily be no assets to pass to the Crown as bona vacantia.
	In the financial year 2009-10 the Bona Vacantia Division of the Treasury Solicitor's Department received £46,873,362.65 from banks, building societies and other financial institutions and from solicitors' client accounts in respect of dissolved companies.

Departmental Training

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee away days in each year since 1997.

Justine Greening: The information available on spending on employee team building events by the Department, its agencies and non-departmental body is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			   HM Treasury (HMT)  Asset Protection Agency 
			 2005-06 54 n/a 
			 2006-07 191 n/a 
			 2007-08 295 n/a 
			 2008-09 388 1 
			 2009-10 185 2 
		
	
	Data for HMT prior to 2005-06 is not available as spending on team building events was not separately identified prior to that date. The initial data collected in 2005-06 is not directly comparable to figures for later years due to a change to the accounting system to more accurately capture spending on team-building events.
	Information on team building events held by the Debt Management Office is not held centrally and could not be provided within the disproportionate costs threshold. The Royal Mint Advisory Committee has not held any team building events during the period in question.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Sustainable Development

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of her Department's progress in promoting sustainable agriculture.

James Paice: One of DEFRA's priorities is to support and develop British farming and encourage sustainable food production. This is supported by a number of specific actions with associated milestones as set out in the Department's Structural Reform Plan. Additionally, the Department publishes on the Food and Farming Statistics pages of its website a comprehensive set of indicators which track the performance of the sector in economic, environmental and social terms and collectively provide a broad measure of its sustainability.

Animal Welfare

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what guidance her Department issues on the housing and sale of animals in pet shops; what recent representations she has received on the issue; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  whether she plans to review the regulations regarding pet shops, with reference to  (a) the age at which children can buy animals and  (b) the conditions in which animals are kept; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  under what legislation the sale of exotic pets is regulated; what plans she has to amend such regulation; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what exotic animals may lawfully be sold in pet shops; whether she plans to make changes to that regime; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what recent representations she has received on the sale of  (a) exotic animals and  (b) endangered species; and if she will make a statement;
	(6)  what plans she has to amend the regulatory system governing the sale of exotic animals and dangerous animals in pet shops; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The business of selling animals as pets is regulated by the Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended, 1983). This means that anyone who wishes to sell pet animals as a business must obtain a valid licence from their local authority. Local authorities have powers of inspection and can decide whether or not a premise should be licensed. Guidelines for local authority inspectors, which include minimum standards of welfare, are produced by. the Local Government Association with assistance from the British Veterinary Association, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association and Pet Care Trust and are currently being updated.
	The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates trade in endangered animals and plants. Although not a welfare convention it aims to make sure that international trade is conducted sustainably, ensuring the long-term survival of species. CITES strictly regulates and monitors trade through a permitting system. Trade in those species at most risk of extinction from international trade is banned except in exceptional circumstances.
	CITES provisions are applied uniformly in the European Community (EC) through two EC Regulations (Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1808/2001). The regulations are often stricter than CITES itself.
	I am satisfied that the current legislation, including the Animal Welfare Act 2006, provides adequate protection for the welfare of animals being sold as pets.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2010,  Official Report, column 121W, on animal welfare: circuses, whether Ministers have concluded their consideration of the recent public consultation exercise on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses; and when the results of that consideration are expected to be announced.

James Paice: There has been a considerable amount of information for us to consider, as well as a need to meet representatives of the circus industry and animal welfare organisations in order to hear their views. We are currently considering matters raised at these meetings. We expect to be in a position to announce our decision on the proposed way forward in the autumn.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department and its predecessor spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The Department was formed in 2001; to seek information prior to 2005 would incur disproportionate cost.
	From data held centrally and by the executive agencies, the following shows expenditure on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 2005-06.
	
		
			  (a) Reimbursement of staff expenses 
			   £ 
			 2005-06 6,195,092 
			 2006-07 10,938,667 
			 2007-08 9,123,647 
			 2008-09 8,398,060 
			 2009-10 7,950,289 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) 10 largest staff expenses reimbursement claims in each year since 2005-06 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 1 28,975.10 32,360.19 35,042.35 40,600.57 27,430.70 
			 2 23,795.85 24,432.25 25,010.57 19,631.81 23,287.84 
			 3 22,014.61 22,062.55 20,730.59 15,952.99 17,356.70 
			 4 19,329.48 21,093.22 19,825.81 15,947.45 16,100.33 
			 5 19,116.90 20,168.60 18,292.64 15,122.40 14,606.40 
			 6 18,968.98 20,038.66 17,492.98 14,572.12 14,560.33 
			 7 18,283.30 18,729.86 17,333.79 14,378.08 13,321.25 
			 8 17,250.08 18,702.93 16,539.96 12,777.10 13,064.48 
			 9 16,873.14 18,208.57 16,419.76 12,193.32 12,611.65 
			 10 16,512.77 17,177.50 15,382.05 11,781.60 12,597.63

Departmental Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by  (a) her Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which her Department is responsible in each year since 2005.

Richard Benyon: Expenditure on external consultants and advisers for each year since 2005 is shown in the following table. Main delivery NDPBs have been included, to go to them all would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 DEFRA core(1) 44,000,000 29,000,000 37,290,720 25,173,402 26,101,691 
			 Animal Health - n/a 1,042,202 736,273 2,160,000 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 38,251 161,738 57,803 72,422 95,892 
			 Rural Payments Agency 29,500,000 27,900,000 23,400,000 23,200,000 25,000,000 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 163,808 120,588 86,748 64,286 66,006 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 55,444 69,164 111,919 112,812 143,728 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency - - 142,715 585,273 576,934 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency(2) 202,467 291,081 300,389 569,209 456,427 
			 Environment Agency 16,129,898 11,609,884 10,289,632 10,772,378 11,060,971 
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority(4) 128,900 56,500 0 15,000 9,000 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 28,074 27,811 10,112 32,251 54,290 
			 National Forestry Company 12,444 27,640 0 8,038 14,747 
			 Natural England(5) - 3,002,000 2,283,000 1,223,000 2,299,000 
			 Royal Botanical Gardens-Kew (6)- (6)- (6)- (6)- 770,000 
			 Sustainable Development Commission(3) - - - 738,713 360,517 
			 Commission for Rural Communities 0 0 0 0 0 
			 n/a = Not available (1) DEFRA core-2005-06 and 2006-07 as reported in Department report for management and business consultancy. From 2007-08, as defined by OGC category codes and reported in PSPES. 2009-10 subject to final verification before PSPES submission in October 2010. (2) Formerly Central Science Laboratory. Figures for 2008-09 and 2009-10 include consultancy costs for start up of FERA. (3) SDC formed in 1 January 2009 and figures include consultancy costs for start up. (4) GLA for 2005-06 includes consultancy costs for start up. (5) NE for 2006-07 includes consultancy costs for start up. (6) RBG Kew-To provide a consultancy figure for earlier years would incur disproportionate cost.  Notes: AH-formed in October 2005 and data not available for 2005-06 and 2006-07 without disproportionate cost. 2007-08 and 2008-09 as reported for PSPES and 2009-10 as reported in accounts. RPA-With effect from 2007-08 RPA does not employ consultants or advisers. From then all external resources employed to provide expert opinion, including holding interim positions, are recognised and accounted for as contractors. The figures are consistent with a previous answer supplied to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), 19 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 8-10W.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by her Department was in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The rates paid to consultants reflect the scope and duration of the work; the grade and experience of the consultant(s) chosen for the work; and supply market conditions.
	The Department does not hold information centrally on the daily rates paid to consultants hired by the Department in each of the last five years. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Motor Vehicles

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the expenditure on vehicles of  (a) her Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which her Department is responsible in each region of England was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is in each case for 2010-11.

Richard Benyon: Expenditure on the purchase and/or lease of vehicles for the last three financial years and the planned expenditure for 2010-11 are shown in the following table. Main delivery NDPBs have been included, to go to them all would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £000 
			   Actuals  Planned 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 DEFRA core 97 847 291 0 
			  
			  Executive agencies 
			 Animal Health 155 87 88 105 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 64 92 89 <80 
			 Rural Payments Agency(1) n/a 670 837 550 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 91 35 34 123 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 0 0 0 0 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency 0 0 0 0 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency 73 0 102 0 
			 Non-departmental public bodies 
			 Environment Agency(2) (2)- (2)- (2)- (2)- 
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority 0 0 25 27 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 0 0 0 0 
			 National Forestry Company 0 0 0 0 
			 Natural England(3) 278 757 356 0 
			 Royal Botanical Gardens-Kew(4) 10 108 19 10 
			 Sustainable Development Commission 0 0 0 0 
			 Commission For Rural Communities 0 0 0 0 
			 n/a = not available (1) RPA lease all vehicles. Figures shown are the cost for leasing and maintenance costs, but exclude fuel and road fund licence costs. (2 )Environment Agency: The capital purchase cost of vehicles (commercial) deployed to support operational activities in the Environment Agency for each of the last three financial years and the planned expenditure for 2010-11 is as follows: 2007-08: £2,000,000 2008-09: £4,269,000 2009-10: £2,963,000 2010-11 forecast: £1,878,000 The majority of Environment Agency commercial vehicles support flood risk management activities, while lease cars are used to support environmental regulatory and advisory roles which involve visits to customer sites. Lease Car expenditure is as follows: 2007-08: £11,754,470 2008-09: £12,895,932 2009-10: £12,919,802 2010-11 forecast: £12,111,000 These figures do not include service, repair and maintenance, fuel and insurance costs. (3) Natural England provides pool cars for people to use, primarily on front line delivery activity, and where public transport is not a viable option. Pool cars are currently located at most office locations. NE National Nature Reserves (NNR) operations also have specific requirements for vehicles which are used in the management and maintenance of the reserve. No capital budget has been provided for the purchase of vehicles in 201-11. (4 )RBG Kew expenditure excludes gardens equipment (which includes tractors/JCBs but also mowers, trailers, composting equipment etc.)

Departmental Public Expenditure

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future funding of the  (a) Darwin Initiative and  (b) Overseas Territories Challenge Fund.

Richard Benyon: The next round (Round 18) of Darwin funding was postponed in July, pending the completion of the Government spending review. A letter explaining the situation from the chairman of the Darwin Advisory Committee (DAC) is available on the Darwin Initiative website.

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many external training courses were attended by staff of her Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Richard Benyon: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the provisions of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 relating to  (a) private drains and sewers,  (b) sustainable urban drainage,  (c) reservoir safety,  (d) flood and coastal risk management and  (e) surface water management will come into effect.

Richard Benyon: As I announced at the Local Government Floods Forum Conference on 29 July, the transfer of private sewers will be implemented through regulations under the Water Industry Act 1991. We published a consultation on draft regulations to provide for the transfer of private sewers on 26 August, and intend to consult with interested parties on related standards for new sewers later in the autumn.
	We plan to consult later this year on the implementation of the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) provisions of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, including a proposed timetable for commencement.
	We intend that the reservoir provisions in Schedule 4 of the Act should be brought into effect in 2011-12 in respect of those reservoirs already regulated under the Reservoirs Act 1975. This will enable a more risk-based approach to be developed and lead to some deregulation. The extension of regulation to smaller reservoirs will be implemented some time later and will be proportionate to the risk that they pose.
	Implementation of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 will begin with the laying of the Flood and Water Management Act (commencement No.1 and transitional provisions) Order 2010 in September. We intend that responsibilities for local authorities to manage local flood risks, including surface water, will be the subject of further regulations from April 2011.

Food Supply: Ombudsman

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to establish  (a) an ombudsman for the food supply chain and  (b) a Red Meat Road Map.

James Paice: On 3 August the Government published their response to their consultation to take forward the establishment of a body to monitor and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. They announced that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will bring forward new legislation in order to set up the Grocery Code Adjudicator, which will reside within the Office of Fair Trading. The proposal will require primary legislation and BIS will be seeking Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee approval to publish a draft Bill later this year with the intention of bringing forward a Bill in the second session.
	We are working closely with the beef, lamb and pig meat sector bodies on the development of environmental roadmaps. These industry-led roadmaps concentrate on mitigation of the impacts of climate change and will form the basis of each sector's contribution to the agricultural industry's Greenhouse Gas Action Plan.
	The first roadmap for pig meat, co-ordinated by the British Pig Executive (BPEX), and part two of the beef and sheep meat roadmap, co-ordinated by the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX), are due to be published this autumn.

Food: Labelling

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues on the European Parliament's proposals to require food from animals which have not been stunned prior to slaughter to be labelled with that information, with particular reference to the likely effects on faith groups of the implementation of those proposals.

James Paice: To date, no discussions have taken place with ministerial colleagues on this specific amendment proposed by the European Parliament.

Food: Labelling

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the European Parliament's proposals to expand the remit of EU food labelling regulation to include the provision of labelling information on methods of animal slaughter.

James Paice: The Government are still considering their position on this and the other amendments proposed by the European Parliament.

Livestock: Transport

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to revise the rules covering the movement of livestock to reduce the administrative burden on farmers.

James Paice: DEFRA recently published a consultation document on the simplification of livestock movement rules and holding identification in England. 41 responses were received by the closing date of 30 June. Once these responses have been analysed, a summary will be published. Further action following the consultation will depend on the outcome of the Spending Review and on any recommendations the taskforce on farming regulation may make.

Plants: Research

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to support research into the management of  (a) Japanese knotweed and  (b) other alien plant species.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has been one of the main funding partners in a long-running project researching the possibility of identifying a biological control agent for Japanese knotweed. A controlled release of the highly specialist psyllid-"Aphalara itadori"-is now under way to help control this plant. If successful, this insect should restrict its growth, slow its capacity to spread vigorously and enhance the effectiveness of management effort, although it would not eradicate it altogether.
	Other management-related research work on alien plant species supported by DEFRA includes a collaborative project with the Netherlands on four shared invasive aquatic non-native plants; scoping biological control for a further four highly damaging non-native species of plant; and developing a support protocol and methodology to enable the Overseas Territories to access invertebrate plant pest identification expertise within the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera).
	DEFRA, the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly launched a comprehensive Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain in May 2008. It has been described in a 2010 European Environment Agency report as an outstanding national response to the issue in Europe. The Strategy provides a high-level framework for a range of activities including research and is being implemented on a prioritised basis. We have now started work on developing a clearer statement of evidence needs to support its continued implementation. This will include management-related research and we will be taking this forward in collaboration with key partners.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make it her policy to seek the introduction of an intra-EU trade ban on eggs produced by hens housed in conventional cages if more time is given to other Member States to phase-out conventional cages from January 2012;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with egg producers on the introduction of a No. 41 production code for enriched cage eggs;
	(3)  what steps she is taking to support the egg industry; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The UK government remain entirely committed to the conventional cage ban coming into force on 1 January 2012 and to supporting industry during this transitional stage. We will continue to work with the Commission and industry to ensure that everything is done to protect UK producers who have already made significant investment to comply with the legislation and to maintain the ban on eggs and egg products produced by hens housed in conventional cages across the EU.
	This could be by way of an intra-community ban on the trade of eggs produced by hens housed in conventional cages after 1 January 2012, so they may only be sold in the member state of production for a limited period only; and/or the introduction of a code '4' in EU marketing regulations to distinguish eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems, from those housed in conventional cages that will remain classified as code '3'.
	I will be meeting the BEIC shortly to discuss this and other matters.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with representatives of the egg industry on implementation of an action plan with the objective of ending the practice of beak trimming; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: On 1 March a preliminary meeting of the Core Stakeholder group for beak trimming was held to consider the consultation documents and raise issues of concern by industry and welfare groups in advance of the deadline for consultation responses.
	The Beak Trimming Action Group, comprising key interested parties, will meet before the end of the year to discuss any new scientific research and explore all possible options on how to manage laying hens without the need to beak trim.

Sheep: Tagging

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent reports she has received on the adequacy of supply of tags for the electronic identification of sheep; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: DEFRA officials are in regular contact with tag suppliers to monitor supply. In the spring, delivery times were up to six weeks, due in part to a shortage of transponders following the Icelandic volcanic eruption which disrupted air freight. These delays have reduced significantly and supply times in most cases now vary from five days to three weeks.
	DEFRA officials have worked closely with sheep industry bodies to ensure keepers order their tags promptly and in good time before they need to move their sheep.

Sheep: Tagging

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of measures for the electronic identification of sheep.

James Paice: Electronic identification (EID) of sheep is an EU requirement, but the administration and implementation of it in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is an issue for devolved administrations.
	In England, EID was implemented on 31 December 2009. It is too early for any implementation assessment to be made, although DEFRA officials are in regular contact with the sheep industry and are reviewing issues with them as they arise.
	We have identified some issues which require further discussion with the Commission and I have invited EU Commissioner Dalli to visit the UK in the autumn to see at first hand the practical challenges we are facing.

Sustainable Development Commission

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 22 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 32-3WS, on her Department's arms-length bodies, how the functions of the Sustainable Development Commission will be undertaken after its closure; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The Sustainable Development Commission's four existing functions are watchdog, policy advisory, capacity-building and advocacy.
	 Watchdog
	There are already many organisations and commentators who will continue to hold the Government to account and we believe that a dedicated watchdog body is unnecessary. Minsters are accountable to Parliament and we will continue to publish the data necessary for such scrutiny.
	 Policy-advisory
	Where the expertise does not already exist internally, DEFRA and other Departments commission additional expert advice from a range of organisations, of which the Commission is one. In the future, where necessary, we expect policy teams to continue to do this through the usual procurement process.
	 Capacity-building
	DEFRA leads across Government on sustainable development. We will consider how best to do this taking account of this Government's priorities.
	 Advocacy
	DEFRA will continue to champion sustainable development in policymaking across Government. We will build our internal capability and seek to work with the many external organisations already working within this field and who can support us in doing this.

Taxis

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department and its predecessor spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The Department was formed in 2001; to seek information prior to this date would incur disproportionate cost.
	From data held centrally and by the delivery agencies, the following shows expenditure on taxis since 2005-06.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 DEFRA core (1)- 268,095 346,458 299,401 153,308 
			 Animal health(2) 6,137 25,823 34,447 35,560 39,633 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (3)- (3)- (3)- (3)- (3)- 
			 Rural Payments Agency 40,225 34,298 44,052 59,273 42,925 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency(4) (4)- (4)- (4)- (4)- 43,543 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 4,730 5,789 5,533 3,155 7,192 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency(5) 2,630 5,022 5,095 5,432 10,915 
			 Food & Environment Research Agency(6) 16,395 19,242 18,301 20,389 20,707 
			 (1) Would incur disproportionate cost. (2) AH formed October 2005. (3 )CEFAS taxi fares are charged to a generic travel code, which includes other types of fares such as rail, air and bus. Obtaining costs allocated solely to taxi fares would incur disproportionate cost. (4 )VLA 2009-10 covers period September 2009 to March 2010. Earlier details not available without disproportionate cost. (5 )MFA formed October 2005. Became an NDPB 1 March 2010. (6 )FERA - formed 1 April 2009, earlier data for Central Science Laboratory.

Trees

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in establishing a national tree planting campaign; and how much will be spent on the campaign in each of the next four years.

James Paice: The National Tree Planting campaign is an important part of the Coalition Government's aims to enable local people to shape, improve and transform their communities, as part of the Big Society. The campaign will build on the work of many individuals and organisations to improve local quality of life by assisting local communities to plant trees in areas in which they are most needed and will be most valued.
	We are considering the options for the campaign, including funding, in discussion with civil society organisations and local government and will be looking for support from the private sector. We anticipate the scope and arrangements for the campaign will be announced by the end of the year.

Wines

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department and its predecessor spent on wine in each year since 1997.

Richard Benyon: The accounting systems used by the Department and its predecessors do not record purchases down to the level of individual items and therefore the requested information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Banks: Loans

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to encourage banks to offer a wider choice of short-term loans for vulnerable customers as an alternative to high-interest payday loans.

Edward Davey: This is a complex issue with recent studies showing that some consumers are using payday loans to avoid sometimes higher unarranged borrowing costs charged by mainstream lenders such as banks. At present, the Government have no plans to encourage mainstream lenders to provide short-term loans as an alternative to payday loans.
	BIS will be issuing a formal call for evidence later in the year on consumer credit and personal insolvency. The call for evidence will include the opportunity for industry and consumer groups to provide evidence on how they think the findings and recommendations of the OFT's recent review of high cost credit, which included payday lending, should be taken forward.

Banks: Loans

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what safeguards he plans to introduce to reduce levels of dependency on high-cost credit.

Edward Davey: I recently announced a joint BIS and HM Treasury review of consumer credit and personal insolvency and my Department will be issuing a formal call for evidence later in the year.
	The OFT has recently published the findings and recommendations from its review of high-cost credit products, including pawnbroking, payday loans and home collected credit. It concluded that in some respects, the markets for high-cost credit can be seen to be working reasonably well, although they have identified some areas of concern. The OFT made a number of recommendations to Government to improve the sector.
	Our call for evidence will give industry and consumer groups the opportunity to provide evidence on how they think the findings of the OFT review should be taken forward.

Business: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the likely length of time between the  (a) abolition of Advantage West Midlands and  (b) introduction of local enterprise partnerships in the West Midlands; and what steps he plans to take to encourage business growth in the West Midlands in this period.

Mark Prisk: The Government have asked for outline proposals for local enterprise partnerships by 6 September 2010. We are determined that the transition to new arrangements will be orderly and are not planning that there should be a gap in the support for business growth during this period. The forthcoming White Paper on sub-national economic growth will set out our approach in more detail.

Business: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage private sector investment in the West Midlands.

Mark Prisk: The Department's strategy for sustainable growth set out our approach to promoting investment across the country.
	The Government believe that business is the driver of economic growth and innovation, and that we need to take urgent action to boost enterprise and build a new and more responsible economic model, to create a fairer and more balanced economy where new businesses and economic opportunities are more evenly shared between regions and industries.
	The Government are committed to renewing and strengthening local economies. We will do this by enabling local authorities located in natural economic areas, in conjunction with business, to form local enterprise partnerships. Local Enterprise Partnerships will therefore be developed from the local level rather than being imposed by central Government giving the private sector of the West Midlands the opportunity to direct economic development policy within their respective partnerships.
	The Regional Growth Fund, announced at Budget, a £1 billion fund that will initially operate in 2011/12 and 2012/13 will provide support for projects that offer significant potential for sustainable economic growth and can create new private sector employment. It will be key to recovery across all parts of England, including the West Midlands, to get the private sector going so that they can lead stimulation of the economy as quickly as possible.

Business: Wi-fi

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance his Department issues on the classification of businesses in the hospitality industry offering free wi-fi access to the internet as  (a) communications providers and  (b) internet service providers under the terms of the Digital Economy Act 2010.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 6 September 2010
	The Department has not yet offered guidance on classification under the Digital Economy Act 2010 to those providing free wi-fi accesses to the internet. The relevant requirements of the Digital Economy Act will not have any effect until a code has been approved by Ofcom and Parliament. Ofcom is reviewing the responses to its consultation on its draft obligations code. It will issue a statement when this review is completed with a view to approving a code by the end of the year.

Business: Wi-fi

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to prevent illegal file-sharing by those accessing the internet through free wi-fi hot spots; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 6 September 2010
	 : The relevant provisions in the Digital Economy Act are intended to address the online infringement of copyright irrespective of whether such activity is undertaken via a personal internet connection or through a commercially-or publicly-provided wi-fi network.
	Many providers of public wi-fi networks, such as universities, already take measures to prevent infringement which go far beyond what the Act requires, but the Act brings regulatory certainty and consistency.
	However, the Government recognise that more clarification is needed. The Initial Obligations Code, on which Ofcom has recently consulted, will set out how this will work in practice.

Credit Cards: Fees and Charges

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of credit card companies on the introduction of an annual dormancy fee; and whether he plans to bring forward proposals to cap such charges.

Edward Davey: I have had no discussions with representatives of credit card companies on the introduction of annual dormancy fees and at this time the Government have no plans to introduce proposals to introduce a cap on these charges.
	The Office of Fair Trading is not aware of receiving any consumer complaints regarding these types of fees. The Government would be concerned if dormancy fees were set at an amount that did no more than cover the reasonable cost to the card issuer of maintaining and administering the dormant account for the relevant period. It is also important that the card issuer is transparent about the existence of such fees and should take appropriate steps to ensure that the card holder is made fully aware of the possible application of a dormancy fee prior to them entering into the credit agreement.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Edward Davey: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of his Department's contracts with its suppliers are under review as a result of the recently announced reductions in public expenditure; and what the monetary value is of all such contracts which are under review.

Edward Davey: BIS is participating in the centrally-led programme of renegotiation with Government's key suppliers. However, the detailed information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Department as a result of recently announced reductions in public spending; what savings are expected to accrue to his Department from such renegotiations; how much expenditure his Department will incur on such renegotiations; and when such renegotiations will be completed.

Edward Davey: BIS is participating in the centrally-led programme of renegotiation with Government's key suppliers. The Department constantly reviews the contracts it has for ICT and facilities management services. Renegotiation of these contracts has so far realised annual savings of £8.8 million. Further savings are anticipated.
	Other than this information on ICT and facilities management services, the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Rents

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department paid in rent for properties in  (a) total and  (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years.

Edward Davey: This Department and its predecessors have paid the following amounts in rent in the last five financial years:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Total  Yorks/Humber  East  Midlands  North  West  S outh  West  Scotland  London 
			 2005/06 31.25 0.16 0.03 0.03 0.04 1.15 29.84 
			 2006/07 35.13 0.19 0.03 0.03 0.04 1.33 33.51 
			 2007/08 36.17 0.21 0.05 0.02 0.05 1.27 34.57 
			 2008/09 37.33 0.21 0.04 - - 1.28 35.8 
			 2009/10 38.25 0.24 0.05 - - 1.12 36.84 
		
	
	The above figures are inclusive of VAT. They do not include charges paid to other Government Departments under MOTO (memorandum of terms of occupation) agreements, nor do they include income obtained from tenants (mainly other Government Departments).

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Edward Davey: Training budgets are not held centrally but delegated to line managers and business units. Decisions are made locally on how the money is spent and this information is not held centrally. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Digital Technology

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of the provisions of the Digital Economy Act 2010 on public intermediaries, with particular reference to libraries and universities; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 6 September 2010
	We considered carefully the position of public intermediaries, including libraries and universities, under the Act. Libraries and universities have taken the opportunity to contribute to the Initial Obligations Code discussions-the subject of a formal consultation by Ofcom, which closed on 30 July 2010. Ofcom is now in the process of reviewing the responses it has received from all stakeholders and will publish a formal statement when the review is complete.
	It is in everyone's interest to ensure that their connection or network is not misused. Intermediaries will need to continue to play their role by taking precautions and taking measures to tackle infringement in order to ensure that their connections are not used by individuals to copy material and avoid any repercussions.

Post Offices

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what new sources of revenue for post offices have been identified by his Department; and what progress has been made in establishing such sources.

Edward Davey: As set out in 'The Coalition: our programme for government', we will ensure that post offices are allowed to offer a wide range of services in order to sustain the network, and we are working with Post Office Ltd and other Government Departments to develop new sources of revenue.

Students: Loans

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of former UK students living overseas who owe money to the Student Loans Company; what estimate he has made of the  (a) total amount owed by such people and  (b) average amount owned per person; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The latest estimate of the number of former English domiciled students with income contingent loans who are now living overseas was 28,600 as at 30 April 2010. A breakdown is shown within the following table:
	
		
			  Breakdown  Number 
			 Above the earnings threshold and repaying 9,200 
			 Below the earnings threshold for that country 16,000 
			 Above the earnings threshold and in arrears 2,200 
			 Not provided income details and are now considered to be in arrears 1,200 
		
	
	 (a) The total value of their student loans was £327.2 million.
	 (b) The average amount owed per person is £11,450. This may exclude the effect of recent repayments made via the tax system before the borrowers moved overseas, as such repayments may not have been reflected in the borrower's Student Loans Company accounts yet.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Tobacco

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to assist farmers in Africa to grow crops other than tobacco.

Stephen O'Brien: Increasing the productivity of small farmers in growing alternative crops has an important part to play not only in improving food security, but also as a building block for wealth creation. The Department for International Development (DFID) is already supporting such work in a number of African countries.
	In the coming months, DFID will be reviewing its aid programmes to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer and accelerate growth towards the Millennium Development Goals. Aid spending on agriculture in Africa is being reviewed as part of this process.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Alan Duncan: The Department for international Development (DFID) has spent the following amounts on reimbursement of staff expenses since financial year 2004-05. Information for previous years and for financial year 2008-09 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Financial year  Amount (£) 
			 2004-05 816,744.81 
			 2005-06 903,497.87 
			 2006-07 840,098.98 
			 2007-08 848,271.67 
			 2008-09 (1)- 
			 2009-10 712,773.52 
			 (1 )In 2008-09, DFID moved to a new financial management system. We suspect that duplicate entries exist in the two systems in this year. To determine which amounts have been entered into both systems, and the total amount paid in reimbursements would incur disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	The 10 highest value claims in each of these years were as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2004-05 2,493.06 
			  2,376.00 
			  1,832.68 
			  1,565.26 
			  1,557.31 
			  1,524.22 
			  1,522.04 
			  1,382.19 
			  1,369.18 
			  1,367.50 
			   
			 2005-06 3,146.08 
			  2,237.06 
			  2,002.71 
			  1,900.44 
			  1,869.09 
			  1,824.55 
			  1,749.74 
			  1,642.02 
			  1,619.39 
			  1,616.12 
			   
			 2006-07 2,986.13 
			  2,979.42 
			  2,294.29 
			  1,836.73 
			  1.767.48 
			  1,762.54 
			  1,674,89 
			  1,653.62 
			  1,596.29 
			  1,457.14 
			   
			 2007-08 4,223.50 
			  3,435.89 
			  2,629.28 
			  2,609.17 
			  2,184.80 
			  1,841.59 
			  1,572.42 
			  1,568.99 
			  1,551.49 
			  1,508.24 
			   
			 2009-10 3,510.01 
			  2,419.46 
			  2,154.49 
			  2,042.03 
			  2,038.80 
			  1,805.61 
			  1,783.45 
			  1,779.41 
			  1,597.48 
			  1,594.72

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10-days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Alan Duncan: Information available for payments made to all UK suppliers within 10-day of receipt of invoice is:-
	
		
			  Month  Percentage 
			 July 2010 96.59 
			 August 2010 96.85

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Alan Duncan: Information on the number of external training courses attended by staff is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Since the Department does not have a learning management system it is very difficult to collate data from 100 sub-departments. We do recognise the need to be able to centrally store, acquire and collate various types of human resources (HR) data to enable reporting-for example for parliamentary questions like one. Whilst it is possible to access data from a variety of different and diverse systems, this is not without considerable and often disproportionate effort. To that end we are working on the design and build of a new HR Management system, incorporating the capability to provide (at short notice) a variety of learning and development reports, including those relating to further and higher education. This work is scheduled to be completed by end 2010.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to developing countries to assist them to provide free healthcare to their people.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) always seeks to ensure that the benefits of health services are distributed equitably when investing in health systems in developing countries. In addition to increasing the quality and supply of services, DFID works closely with governments and other partners to make sure that these services reach the poor and vulnerable. This requires giving special attention to removing the barriers that prevent those most in need from accessing the care they require, including financial barriers for the poorest.
	The Secretary of State has recently commissioned a review of DFID's aid programmes, including support to the health sector, to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer and accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department is providing to developing countries for training of  (a) midwives and  (b) other health care workers in 2010-11.

Stephen O'Brien: As a part of its health systems strengthening work, DFID funds  (a) midwives and  (b) other health care workers through various channels including through bilateral programmes, direct support to national health sector plans of partner countries, and multilateral organisations and global funding instruments such as the World Bank, and the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria.
	At central level, DFID supports the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists to provide training to midwives and doctors in five countries. We also support the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) to deliver the UK International Health Links Funding Scheme, which promotes partnerships that strengthen capacity and improve health worker capacity in developing countries through training. DFID has provided £3 million for this programme which is funded jointly with the Department of Health (DH).
	DFID is currently developing a new Health Partnership Scheme to enable UK based health workers to support human resources training in partner countries. The programme will be funded up to £5 million per year.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage provision of  (a) healthcare facilities and  (b) medicines for emergency care in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The core of the Department for International Development's (DFID's) work on health in developing countries is to support national partners in their efforts to build effective and accessible health services, including emergency healthcare and medicines, to prevent, identify and treat the major causes of ill health and preventable mortality.
	DFID supports the planning and policy making process in our partner countries, but it is for national partners to identify their priorities for healthcare provision.

Malaria

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the oral answer of 2 June 2010,  Official Report, column 423, on malaria, what estimate he has made of the effect on other aspects of his Department's annual health budget of his commitment to spend £500 million per year on malaria.

Andrew Mitchell: Tackling malaria is a priority for the Government. We will increase our support to reduce the burden of illness and death caused by malaria in the poorest countries. We are also focusing on reproductive, maternal and newborn health and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
	The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently reviewing all our aid programmes and a spending review is underway across Government.
	Once the reviews are .complete, we will set out details of how we plan to spend our commitment of up to £500 million on malaria, along with our work on maternal, reproductive and newborn health and other priorities to achieve the MDGs.

Malaria

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the oral answer of 2 June 2010,  Official Report, column 423, on malaria, by what date he intends to fulfil his commitment to spend £500 million per year on malaria.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently reviewing all our aid programmes and a spending review is underway across Government.
	Once the reviews are complete, we will set out details of how we plan to spend our commitment of up to £500 million on malaria.

Malawi: International Assistance

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with  (a) the Scottish Executive and  (b) the Secretary of State for Scotland on funding for his Department's projects in Malawi.

Stephen O'Brien: The Secretary of State for International Development and the Scottish Executive's Minister for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop MSP, held discussions on development issues in mid June. They agreed to increased cooperation and coordination, underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding, including work in Malawi. There have been no discussions on this issue between the Secretary of State for International Development and the Secretary of State for Scotland.
	Department for international Development (DFID) officials are in regular contact with the Scottish Executive and the Scotland Office regarding our aid programme in Malawi.

Taxis

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) spent the following on taxi fares since financial year 2002-03. Figures prior to 2002-03 cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2009-10 255,479 
			 2008-09 (1)100,534 
			 2007-08 195,483 
			 2006-07 243,363 
			 2005-06 328.383 
			 2004-05 243,300 
			 2003-04 143,447 
			 2002-03 105,908 
			 (1) In 2008-09, DFID moved to a new financial management system. We suspect that duplicate entries exist in the two systems in this year. To determine which amounts have been entered into both systems, and the total amount paid in reimbursements would incur disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	All expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

UN Population Fund and IPPF

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what records his Department holds on the uses to which the core funds of  (a) the United Nations Population Fund and  (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation have been put over the latest two years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The use of core funds given to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is governed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UNFPA and the Department for International Development (DFID). This MOU states that the funding should be used in support of the objectives set out in UNFPA's Strategic Plan, which they report against annually. DFID also annually assesses UNFPA's performance on a selected range of targets through a separate performance framework.
	Guidance on the use of core funds to the International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF) is contained in a Partnership Programme Arrangement (PPA) which was agreed in 2008. The PPA states that funding is provided in support of reproductive health.
	Improving sexual and reproductive health and rights for women in developing countries is a priority for the Government. This includes better access to modern methods of family planning methods and promoting women's choices.

UN Population Fund and IPPF

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by  (a) the United Nations Population Fund and  (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation in (i) China, (ii) Uzbekistan, (iii) South Africa and (iv) Namibia on reproductive health issues in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: This question seeks detailed information on the activities of two organisations external to the UK Government and it is therefore not appropriate for the Department for International Development (DFID) to answer. My hon. Friend may find the requested information on the websites of these organisations or by approaching the organisations directly.

HEALTH

Hospital Car Parking Charges

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his Department's response to the consultation on hospital car parking charges.

Simon Burns: The Government's response to NHS Car Parking Consultation will be published later this month.

Community Hospitals

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how new community hospitals will be funded under the proposed new commissioning structures.

Simon Burns: Under our proposals for new commissioning arrangements, GP consortia will commission the great majority of national health service services for their patients, including, where appropriate, community hospital services. Arrangements for capital funding will be informed by the responses to the White Paper consultation.

Ambulance Services

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisation will have responsibility for provision of ambulance services under his proposals for the reform of the national health service; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Under the proposals for reform, ambulance services will be commissioned by GP consortia. Consultations on the proposals are however under way, including one on commissioning arrangements. The services themselves will continue to be provided by national health service ambulance trusts and, in the case of patient transport, trusts and private providers.

Cancer Treatment: Blackpool

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effect on cancer patients in Blackpool of ending targets on health outcomes.

Paul Burstow: This Government have retained cancer waiting time targets. We are currently consulting on a new Outcomes Framework for the national health service, which will increase transparency and accountability and end the use of targets where there is no clinical justification.

Organ Donor Cards

Karen Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage take-up of organ donor cards.

Anne Milton: In autumn 2009, NHS Blood and Transplant launched a public awareness campaign to encourage people to join the Organ Donor Register (ODR) and to discuss organ donation with their family. NHS Blood and Transplant also work with the national health service, commercial and third sector organisations to support national and local initiatives on organ donation.

Public Health Responsibilities

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources he plans to allocate to local authorities in respect of their proposed new public health responsibilities.

Anne Milton: The Department will create a ring-fenced public health budget. Within this, local Directors of Public Health will be responsible for health improvement funds, allocated according to relative population health need.
	Work is currently under way to determine baseline spend on public health. Details of the scope of the budget and allocation process will be announced in due course.

Wiltshire Primary Care Trust

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the running costs of Wiltshire primary care trust were in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The Department does not collect a single figure in respect of running costs from primary care trusts (PCTs). For the purposes of this question, the Department has estimated the running costs of Wiltshire PCT in 2009-10 to be £40.232 million. This estimate, which represents 6% of the PCT's total gross expenditure, is derived from the organisation's own accounts.

GP Services

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to increase provision of GPs' out-of-hours services.

Andrew Lansley: General practitioner (GP) out-of-hours services should be provided as part of the 24/7 integrated urgent care service in each area. The national health service locally, through GP-led commissioning, in consultation with local authorities, will determine how to ensure access to high quality urgent care, including a GP service out-of-hours.

Vaccines: Pandemics

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that appropriate numbers of anti-virals and vaccine doses are purchased in respect of future pandemics.

Anne Milton: The National Framework for pandemic flu is being revised in the light of the swine flu pandemic and other evidence so that we remain as well prepared as possible to respond to any future influenza pandemic.
	We continue to hold a stockpile of antivirals for over 50% of the population based on the stocks bought for pandemic preparedness prior to, and at the time of, the swine flu outbreak.
	We are considering our requirements for future vaccine agreements, taking account of the findings of the independent review of the UK response to the 2009 influenza pandemic.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Greater London

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average vacancy rates were in accident and emergency departments of each London acute healthcare trust for  (a) middle grade doctors and  (b) nurses in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Vacancy data are not collected in the format requested. The following tables display  (a) vacancy rates and numbers which have lasted three months or more and  (b) total vacancy rates and numbers for doctors, consultants and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting positions in each London acute hospital trust as at 30 March 2010.
	
		
			  Three month vacancy rates and numbers for all hospital and community health services (HCHS) doctors (excluding doctors in training and equivalents) and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the London strategic health authority area and by each acute Trust 
			All HCHS Doctors (excluding Doctors in Training and Equivalents)  Consultants 
			March 2009  September 2008  March 2009  September 2008 
			Three month vacancy rate %  Three month vacancy number  (Staff in post) full time equivalent  (Staff in post) headcount  Three month vacancy rate %  Three month vacancy number  (Staff in post) full time equivalent  (Staff in post) headcount 
			 England  1.5 674 43,288 49,525 1.1 349 32,679 34,910 
			  Of which:  
			 London  2.2 186 8,116 9,398 1.7 114 6,449 7,142 
			  Of which:  
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust RF4 2.2 7 318 338 0.5 1 212 218 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust RVL 0.4 1 249 280 0.5 1 197 214 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust RNJ 0.0 0 383 463 0.0 0 355 417 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust RG3 1.2 2 160 175 0.0 0 115 124 
			 Chelsea And Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust RQM 0.0 0 181 214 0.0 0 154 175 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust RC3 0.0 0 86 100 0.0 0 63 67 
			 Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust RVR 0.0 0 259 297 0.0 0 200 220 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust RP4 0.0 0 225 248 0.0 0 211 232 
			 Guy's And St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust RJ1 10.3 49 430 470 10.8 49 408 432 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust RAS 0.0 0 120 130 0.0 0 87 91 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RQX 2.1 2 91 100 2.5 2 79 86 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust RYJ 0.0 0 624 819 0.0 0 527 637 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust RJZ 6.3 30 445 516 1.1 4 368 408 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust RAX 2.0 3 143 168 0.0 0 121 132 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust RJ2 1.8 2 110 119 2.0 2 96 103 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust RJ6 0.0 0 152 185 0.0 0 111 115 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RP6 0.0 0 103 115 0.0 0 76 82 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust RNH 14.1 17 103 109 1.3 1 77 81 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RAP 1.0 1 100 118 1.2 1 82 87 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust RV8 0.0 0 239 268 0.0 0 191 208 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust RG2 2.0 2 98 106 2.2 2 89 91 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust RGZ 0.0 0 88 97 0.0 0 69 72 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust RT3 2.6 4 147 155 2.8 4 138 144 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust RAL 1.1 3 278 327 0.0 0 255 285 
			 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust RPY 0.0 0 125 136 0.0 0 108 117 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust RAN 0.0 0 56 60 0.0 0 52 55 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust RJ7 0.0 0 283 311 0.0 0 269 287 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RRV 0.4 2 501 595 0.0 0 470 525 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust RFW 2.9 3 100 113 2.6 2 74 79 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust RGC 5.0 7 133 142 1.7 2 116 120 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust RKE 0.0 0 116 136 0.0 0 105 118 
		
	
	
		
			Other HCHS Doctors (excluding Doctors in Training and Equivalents)  Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 
			March 2009  September 2008  March 2009  September 2008 
			Three month vacancy rate %  Three month vacancy number  (Staff in post) full time equivalent  (Staff in post) headcount  Three month vacancy rate %  Three month vacancy number  (Staff in post) full time equivalent  (Staff in post) headcount 
			 England  3.0 325 10,609 14,615 0.7 2,088 315,410 386,112 
			  Of which:  
			 London  4.1 72 1,667 2,256 1.6 858 55,080 67,326 
			  Of which:  
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust RF4 5.4 6 106 120 2.6 48 1,797 2,216 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust RVL 0.0 0 52 66 0.5 7 1,452 1,777 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust RNJ 0.0 0 28 46 0.8 18 2,330 2,641 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust RG3 4.2 2 45 51 0.0 0 808 1,043 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust RQM 0.0 0 28 39 0.0 0 1,111 1,319 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust RC3 0.0 0 23 33 0.0 0 575 726 
			 Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust RVR 0.0 0 60 77 0.7 11 1,430 2,215 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust RP4 0.0 0 14 16 0.3 3 1,154 1,317 
			 Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust RJ1 0.0 0 22 38 3.9 125 3,100 3,597 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust RAS 0.0 0 32 39 0.4 3 749 1,025 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RQX 0.0 0 12 14 5.1 41 765 1,029 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust RYJ 0.0 0 96 182 0.0 0 3,350 3,808 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust RJZ 25.3 26 77 108 2.6 57 2,116 2,507 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust RAX 11.7 3 23 36 0.3 3 872 1,091 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust RJ2 0.0 0 14 16 0.0 0 1,151 1,601 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust RJ6 0.0 0 41 70 0.0 0 300 314 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RP6 0.0 0 27 33 1.4 11 800 947 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust RNH 38.3 16 26 28 0.0 0 657 786 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RAP 0.0 0 18 31 6.8 116 1,584 2,006 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust RV8 0.0 0 48 60 0.7 6 820 990 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust RG2 * 0 9 15 0.0 0 519 645 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust RGZ 0.0 0 19 25 0.6 6 983 1,099 
			 Royal Brompton And Harefield NHS Trust RT3 * 0 9 11 0.0 0 1,677 1,910 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust RAL 11.6 3 23 42 0.5 3 610 734 
			 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust RPY 0.0 0 17 19 2.1 8 369 513 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust RAN * 0 5 5 0.1 2 2,042 2,509 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust RJ7 0.0 0 14 24 0.0 0 943 1,320 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RRV 6.1 2 31 70 0.0 0 804 965 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust RFW 3.7 1 26 34 0.0 0 2,164 3,013 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust RGC 22.7 5 17 22 2.1 16 745 904 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust RKE 0.0 0 11 18 2.7 30 1,106 1,334 
			  Three month vacancy: 1. Vacancy data are from the Vacancies Survey 2009. 2. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2009. 3. Three month vacancies are vacancies which Trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (full time equivalents). 4. Three month Vacancy Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post. 5. Three month Vacancy Rates are calculated using staff in post from the Non-Medical Workforce Census September 2008. 6. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. 7. '*' figures where sum of staff in post (as at 30 September 2008) and vacancies (as at 31 March 2009) is less than 10.  Staff in post: Staff in post data are from the Non-Medical Workforce Census September 2008.  General: 1. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates. 3. Strategic Health Authority figures are based on Trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of health care.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care 
		
	
	
		
			  Total vacancy rates and numbers for all hospital and community health services (HCHS) doctors (excluding doctors in training and equivalents) and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the London strategic health authority area and by each acute Trust 
			All HCHS Doctors (excluding Doctors in Training and Equivalents)  Consultants 
			March 2009  September 2008  March 2009  September 2008 
			Total vacancies rate %  Total vacancies number  Staff in post (full time equivalents)  Staff in post (headcount)  Total vacancies rate %  Total vacancies number  Staff in post (full time equivalents)  Staff in post (headcount) 
			 England  5.2 2,367 43,288 49,525 4.2 1,421 32,679 34,910 
			  Of which:  
			 London  7.3 639 8,116 9,398 5.8 399 6,449 7,142 
			  Of which:  
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust RF4 9.7 34 318 338 3.6 8 212 218 
			 Barnet And Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust RVL 0.4 1 249 280 0.5 1 197 214 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust RNJ 3.3 13 383 463 0.8 3 355 417 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust RG3 1.8 3 160 175 0.0 0 115 124 
			 Chelsea And Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust RQM 2.7 5 181 214 3.1 5 154 175 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust RC3 1.1 1 86 100 0.0 0 63 67 
			 Epsom And St Helier NHS Trust RVR 1.9 5 259 297 2.4 5 200 220 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust RP4 5.5 13 225 248 3.2 7 211 232 
			 Guy's And St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust RJ1 22.3 124 430 470 23.2 124 408 432 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust RAS 4.8 6 120 130 6.4 6 87 91 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RQX 2.1 2 91 100 2.5 2 79 86 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust RYJ 3.3 21 624 819 3.8 21 527 637 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust RJZ 13.9 72 445 516 7.5 30 368 408 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust RAX 3.4 5 143 168 1.6 2 121 132 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust RJ2 6.8 8 110 119 7.7 8 96 103 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust RJ6 4.4 7 152 185 5.9 7 111 115 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RP6 9.7 11 103 115 2.6 2 76 82 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust RNH 20.1 26 103 109 1.3 1 77 81 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RAP 7.4 8 100 118 3.5 3 82 87 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust RV8 5.1 13 239 268 6.3 13 191 208 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust RG2 8.4 9 98 106 3.3 3 89 91 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust RGZ 21.5 24 88 97 8.0 6 69 72 
			 Royal Brompton And Harefield NHS Trust RT3 9.8 16 147 155 10.4 16 138 144 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust RAL 9.0 28 278 327 2.1 6 255 285 
			 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust RPY 1.6 2 125 136 1.8 2 108 117 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust RAN 0.0 0 56 60 0.0 0 52 55 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust RJ7 2.1 6 283 311 0.0 0 269 287 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RRV 2.5 13 501 595 0.0 0 470 525 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust RFW 7.4 8 100 113 6.3 5 74 79 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust RGC 15.8 25 133 142 10.1 13 116 120 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust RKE 5.7 7 116 136 1.9 2 105 118 
		
	
	
		
			Other HCHS Doctors (excluding Doctors in Training and Equivalents)  Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 
			March 2009  September 2008  March 2009  September 2008 
			Total vacancies rate %  Total vacancies number  Staff in post (full time equivalents)  Staff in post (headcount)  Total vacancies rate %  Total vacancies number  (Staff in post) full time equivalent  (Staff in post) headcount 
			 England  8.2 946 10,609 14,615 3.1 10,014 315,410 386,112 
			  Of which:  
			 London  12.6 240 1,667 2,256 5.1 2,833 55,080 67,326 
			  Of which:  
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust RF4 19.7 26 106 120 4.8 91 1,797 2,216 
			 Barnet And Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust RVL 0.0 0 52 66 3.6 54 1,452 1,777 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust RNJ 26.0 10 28 46 6.1 151 2,330 2,641 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust RG3 6.2 3 45 51 1.4 11 808 1,043 
			 Chelsea And Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust RQM 0.0 0 28 39 2.1 24 1,111 1,319 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust RC3 4.2 1 23 33 1.7 10 575 726 
			 Epsom And St Helier NHS Trust RVR 0.0 0 60 77 5.1 77 1,430 2,215 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust RP4 29.4 6 14 16 2.0 24 1,154 1,317 
			 Guy's And St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust RJ1 0.0 0 22 38 14.2 514 3,100 3,597 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust RAS 0.0 0 32 39 8.9 73 749 1,025 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RQX 0.0 0 12 14 6.6 54 765 1,029 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust RYJ 0.0 0 96 182 3.8 131 3,350 3,808 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust RJZ 35.1 41 77 108 10.3 242 2,116 2,507 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust RAX 11.7 3 23 36 4.4 41 872 1,091 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust RJ2 0.0 0 14 16 0.5 6 1,151 1,601 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust RJ6 0.0 0 41 70 4.8 15 300 314 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust RP6 25.1 9 27 33 1.4 11 800 947 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust RNH 49.3 25 26 28 1.1 7 657 786 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RAP 21.5 5 18 31 7.0 120 1,584 2,006 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust RV8 0.0 0 48 60 3.4 29 820 990 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust RG2 38.9 6 9 15 2.3 12 519 645 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust RGZ 48.9 18 19 25 0.7 7 983 1,099 
			 Royal Brompton And Harefield NHS Trust RT3 * 0 9 11 4.5 79 1,677 1,910 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust RAL 49.0 22 23 42 5.1 33 610 734 
			 Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust RPY 0.0 0 17 19 3.0 11 369 513 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust RAN * 0 5 5 0.9 18 2,042 2,509 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust RJ7 29.4 6 14 24 2.0 19 943 1,320 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RRV 29.5 13 31 70 1.8 15 804 965 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust RFW 10.4 3 26 34 4.5 102 2,164 3,013 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust RGC 41.3 12 17 22 4.0 31 745 904 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust RKE 30.9 5 11 18 6.3 75 1,106 1,334 
			  Total vacancy: 1. Vacancy data are from the Vacancies Survey 2009. 2. Total vacancy information is as at 31 March 2009. 3. Total vacancies are vacancies which Trusts are actively trying to fill (full time equivalents). 4. Total Vacancy Rates are vacancies expressed as a percentage of vacancies plus staff in post. 5. Total Vacancy Rates are calculated using staff in post from the Non-Medical Workforce Census September 2008. 6. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. 7. '*' figures where sum of staff in post (as at 30 September 2008) and vacancies (as at 31 March 2009) is less than 10.  Staff in post: Staff in post data are from the Non-Medical Workforce Census September 2008.  General: 1. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates. 3. Strategic Health Authority figures are based on Trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of health care.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care

Appointments Commission: Civil Service Live Conference

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of the Appointments Commission stand at Civil Service Live 2010.

Simon Burns: The costs of the Commission's attendance at Civil Service Live July 2010 can be analysed as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Space hire 7,880 
			 Delivery and set up of stand, equipment hire 2,015 
			 Staff travel 664

Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the cancer patient experience survey will form part of the quality accounts of NHS trusts.

Simon Burns: Quality accounts are annual statements based on the quality improvement objectives chosen by boards of organisations that provide care to national health service patients. Regulations oblige organisations to review all the data available to them. Organisations will be able to use information from the cancer patient experience survey if they identify this as an objective for their organisation.
	For the future, quality accounts will evolve to reflect the Government's aim of developing a new culture of leadership and responsibility across the NHS. Following a formal evaluation over the summer, we will consult on how the potential of quality accounts can be better realised, including by:
	relating the content to emerging outcome measures and quality standards;
	building in third party assurance through external audit; and
	extending Quality Accounts to primary and community care providers, following the evaluation of the pilots in North East and East Midland strategic health authorities.
	Proposals will be consulted on in the autumn, with updated regulations and guidance to follow later in the year.

Chlamydia: Screening

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to improve arrangements for Chlamydia screening.

Anne Milton: Tackling Chlamydia screening remains part of Tier 2 of the Vital Signs framework. The revised Operating Framework for 2010-11 published in June 2010 stressed the need for the national health service to ensure that it continues to deliver agreed plans with no reduction in the standards or quality of services, for the rest of the 2010-11 year.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Medical Treatments

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to review its guidelines relating to the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) regularly reviews its published guidance. We understand that NICE is currently reviewing its clinical guideline on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis to determine whether it needs updating and will consult on its review proposals later this year. Further information is available on NICE's website at::
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG53

Dementia

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the national audit of dementia services to be  (a) completed and  (b) published; and in what format it will be published.

Paul Burstow: The Department anticipates that the national audit of dementia services will be available in October 2010. The format and how the results will be published is yet to be decided.

Dementia: Drugs

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce the use of antipsychotics for the treatment of dementia; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The National Clinical Director for dementia is leading the work to implement the recommendations made by Professor Sube Banerjee in his report into the use of anti-psychotic medicines, which was published in November 2009. The Department is working with the NHS Information Centre to develop an audit of the prescribing of anti-psychotics for people with dementia.

Dementia: Hertfordshire

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed with dementia in  (a) Hertfordshire and  (b) Stevenage constituency in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The information is not held in the format requested.
	The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) gives the numbers of patients on the dementia disease register for the financial years 2006-07 to 2008-09. The available figures show the number of those with dementia who are on the register at the end of each year.
	Figures are not available for earlier years. Figures for 2009-10 will be published in autumn 2010.
	The following table shows the figures for the primary care trusts (PCTs) which cover Hertfordshire.
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 2,092 2,204 2,361 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 1,996 2,030 2,253 
			 Total 4,088 4,234 4,614 
			  Notes: 1. The QOF figures are collected by national health service organisation rather by constituency and so it is not possible to give figures for Stevenage constituency. 2. Figures are not the number of newly diagnosed dementia patients but the number who are on the register at the end of each year. 3. The national QOF was introduced as part of the new general medical services contract on 1 April 2004. 4. Participation by practices in the QOF is voluntary, though participation rates are very high, with most personal medical services practices also taking part. 5. The published QOF information was derived from the quality management analysis system (QMAS), a national system developed by NHS Connecting for Health. 6. QMAS uses data from general practices to calculate individual practices' QOF achievement. QMAS is a national information technology system developed by NHS Connecting for Health to support the QOF. 7. The QMAS captures the number of patients on the various disease registers for each practice.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care

Dementia: Hertfordshire

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dementia patients have been prescribed antipsychotics in  (a) Hertfordshire and  (b) Stevenage constituency in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: No patient details are recorded when a prescription is processed. It is therefore not possible to say how many patients receiving a prescription for an anti-psychotic drug have a diagnosis of dementia.
	Information is collected on the number of prescription items for anti-psychotic drugs within sections 4.2.1 ('Antipsychotic drugs') and 4.2.2 ('Antipsychotic depot injections') of the British National Formulary, outlining the number of prescriptions written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in England.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The Department is unable to provide the average and highest daily rates paid to consultants in each of the last five years.
	The preferred practice of the Department is to negotiate costs for a whole piece of work rather than agreeing individual day rates.
	This process provides protection from the financial risks being exposed if day rate based contracting was used. In these instances, although considered when costing the work, commissions are awarded on a total fixed cost basis to reflect the appropriate skills mix and resource required to deliver the work.

Departmental Empty Property

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: The information requested since 1997 is not available. The estimated expenditure excluding VAT by the Department on vacant properties for each of the past five years is:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 1,750,000 
			 2006-07 1,325,000 
			 2007-08 950,000 
			 2008-09 850,000 
			 2009-10 4,350,000 
		
	
	The main reason for the increase in 2009-10 is the rationalisation of estate in the arm's length body sector and surplus property being returned to the Department for disposal or sub-let.
	The Department is actively seeking to dispose of its interest in those properties that remain vacant.

Departmental Furniture

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many chairs his Department has purchased in each year since 1997; how much it spent in each such year; and what the five most expensive chairs purchased in each such year were.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold separate records for the numbers and cost of chairs it has purchased since 1997. Information is held in our financial system under a general heading 'furniture and fittings'. To provide the information as requested would incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental ICT

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the monetary value of each such contract was.

Simon Burns: The Department abandoned two information technology (IT) contracts in the last five years.
	These were the Fujitsu Local Service Provider contract, terminated in May 2008 with a value of £1,104 million over 10 years and the Fujitsu front line helpdesk, terminated March in 2009 with a value of £55 million over seven years. Both contracts were awarded as part of the National Programme for IT.

Epilepsy

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds 
	(1)  for benchmarking purposes on  (a) emergency hospital readmittance rates for epilepsy,  (b) median times for a first epilepsy specialist appointment,  (c) rates of epilepsy misdiagnosis and  (d) the incidence of deaths caused by epilepsy in (i) England and (ii) other EU member states;
	(2)  for benchmarking purposes on comparative and sudden unexpected death rates in epilepsy in  (a) England and  (b) other EU member states;
	(3)  on the emergency hospital readmittance rate for people with epilepsy.

Paul Burstow: Statistics on emergency hospital readmissions rates for epilepsy are not routinely produced. The hospital episodes statistics database contains information about admissions to hospital from which bespoke analyses about readmissions can be extracted. However the analysis necessary to calculate readmissions is particularly complicated and would incur disproportionate costs.
	Information on the median time for first specialist appointment is not collected.
	The rates of epilepsy misdiagnosis are not collected.
	The Department does not routinely hold international comparative data. However, World Health Organization age-standardised death rates for epilepsy indicate that the United Kingdom has 1.5 deaths per 100,000 population, compared with the median rate of a comparable set of European countries (the EU-15) of 1.07 deaths per 100,000.
	All international comparisons should be interpreted with caution, due to differences in registration systems and coding conventions.

Food Standards Agency

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria the Food Standards Agency takes into account when selecting subjects for public awareness campaigns.

Anne Milton: The criteria taken into account by the Food Standards Agency when selecting subjects for public awareness campaigns (primarily salt, saturated fat and food hygiene between 2002 and 2010) are:
	subject is a key part of the agency's strategic objectives;
	subject has a clear public health benefit;
	subject offers support to industry (for reformulation in terms of healthier eating and for safer and cleaner commercial kitchens in terms of food hygiene) and is suitable for partnership activity with both industry and non-governmental organisations; and
	subject has clear potential for savings in public finance.

General Practitioners

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the proposals in the Health White Paper, how it is planned that GP consortia will be supported to commission appropriate services for  (a) children with autism and mental health problems and  (b) other people with complex needs.

Paul Burstow: To support general practitioner (GP) consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will create an independent NHS Commissioning Board. The board will provide leadership for quality improvement through commissioning. This will include setting commissioning guidelines on the basis of clinically approved quality standards developed with advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, in a way that promotes joint working across health, public health and social care.
	GP consortia will be responsible for commissioning the great majority of national health service services. We will expect consortia to involve relevant health and social care professionals from all sectors in helping design care pathways or care packages that achieve more integrated delivery of care, higher quality, and more efficient use of NHS resources. We will be working with the NHS and professional bodies in the transition to the new arrangements to promote multi-professional involvement.
	The White Paper also creates a new role for local government in setting the local strategic context for commissioning of health improvement, health and social care. This will be informed by Joint Strategic Needs Assessments which all commissioners will use to guide their commissioning activities.
	It is proposed that the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for commissioning national and regional specialised services for patients with complex and rare disease. For less rare and complex services we expect GP consortia to commission services for their populations. We are currently consulting on the most appropriate level at which some of these services are commissioned.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will also host some clinical commissioning networks, for example for targeted health services for ill and disabled children, to pool specialist expertise.
	Further details on the Government's intentions for commissioning and oversight of commissioning decisions can be found in the consultation documents "Commissioning for patients" and "Local Democratic Legitimacy in Health", published on 22 July. Copies have already been placed in the Library.

General Practitioners: Yorkshire and the Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of GP commissioning teams which will be required in  (a) York and  (b) North Yorkshire to discharge the commissioning responsibilities currently assigned to the North Yorkshire and York primary care trust; what estimate he has made of the number of staff who will be employed by those teams; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of their operation.

Simon Burns: We do not wish to be unduly prescriptive about the size of general practitioner (GP) commissioning consortia. There have been widespread variations in the size and population coverage of primary care trusts (PCTs), which are currently responsible for commissioning national health service health care services, and there is no evidence to suggest a single 'right' size. Practices will have flexibility within the new legislative framework to form consortia in ways they think will secure the best health care and health outcomes for their patients and locality. The NHS Commissioning Board will, however, need to satisfy itself that consortia are of sufficient size to manage financial risk effectively.
	The White Paper laid out proposals for fundamental changes to the ways that the NHS is structured and run. The precise costs of the transition to the new system, and of running the new organisation, will not be known until the new organisations that will underpin the new system have been designed in more detail. We have launched a series of consultations on how the new organisations should be designed, and once the results of this are known we will publish a full impact assessment of the new systems.
	The White Paper also makes a commitment to reduce NHS management costs by more than 45% over the next four years, freeing up further resources for front-line care.
	The consultation document on new NHS commissioning arrangements "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for patients", published on 22 July, seeks views on whether there should be a minimum or maximum population size for GP commissioning consortia. A copy has already been placed in the Library.

Motor Neurone Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease in  (a) England,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Northern Ireland; and what steps his Department has taken to provide support services for such people.

Paul Burstow: Information on the number of people diagnosed with motor neurone disease is not collected. However, the National Framework for Long-term neurological Conditions (the NSF) estimates that around two new cases of motor neurone disease are diagnosed each year per 100,000 population.
	The NSF was developed to address the long-term health and social care needs of people living with neurological conditions, including those with rapidly progressing conditions such as motor neurone disease.

NHS: Civil Service Live Conference

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of the NHS Choices stand at Civil Service Live 2010.

Simon Burns: The NHS Choices stand at Civil Service Live 2010 was shared with Directgov and businesslink.gov.uk. The total cost of the stand was £12,165 plus VAT. NHS Choices contribution to these costs was £4,055 plus VAT.

NHS: ICT

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the National Programme for IT in  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09 and  (c) 2009-10.

Simon Burns: The total cost of the national programme for information technology (IT) includes both central costs, and the costs managed by local national health service bodies incurred in implementing the systems, for example in training staff and upgrading computer hardware.
	In its report "The National Programme for IT in the NHS: Progress since 2006", published in May 2008, the National Audit Office estimated that some £3.55 billion had been spent on the programme to 31 March 2008. This figure included an estimate for local NHS expenditure, which is not routinely collected in a way that differentiates expenditure on the national programme from other local IT-related expenditure.
	Total cumulative expenditure, estimated on the same basis, to 31 March 2009 was £4.738 billion, and to 31 March 2010, £5.829 billion.

NHS: Reorganisation

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will conduct an assessment of the effect of his proposed reforms to the NHS on local authorities, with particular reference to the potential merging of adult social care and health provision.

Paul Burstow: The Government have not proposed merging adult social care and health provision, although our White Paper, "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" does propose a new function for local authorities of joining up the commissioning of local national health service services, social care and public health.
	The Government are currently consulting on how best to implement the reforms in the White Paper, and has published further details for consultation. As explained in an analytical strategy published alongside the White Paper, the Department is using the consultation period to inform the development of an impact assessment, which will provide a wide-ranging and robust analysis of the proposals, including their impact on local authorities. The impact assessment will be published alongside or shortly after the response to the consultation.

Nutrition

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010,  Official Report, column 12WS, on machinery of government changes, which nutrition programmes will transfer from the Food Standards Agency to his Department.

Anne Milton: The following nutrition policy work for England will be transferred to the Department:
	lead on nutritional labelling and European Union negotiations;
	health claims, dietetic food and food supplements;
	calorie information in catering establishments;
	reformulation to reduce salt, saturated fat and sugar levels in food and reducing portion size (including in catering);
	nutrition surveys and nutrition research; and
	scientific advice and secretariat to Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.

Nutrition

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010,  Official Report, column 12WS, on machinery of government changes, if he will report annually on his Department's progress in respect of those nutrition policy programmes transferred from the Food Standards Agency to his Department.

Anne Milton: Information about the Department's programmes of work will be provided to Parliament in its annual report.

Salt

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 July 2010,  Official Report, column 12WS, on machinery of government changes, if he will make it his policy to continue the salt reduction programme when responsibility for that programme transfers from the Food Standards Agency to his Department.

Anne Milton: The Government recognise the extensive work already carried out to encourage the food industry to reduce levels of salt in food, and the significant achievements that have been made by ail sectors of the food industry.
	We are committed to improving public health, and we will continue to engage with the food industry on product reformulation.

Smoking: Public Places

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in respect of how many venues his Department has issued an exemption from the ban on smoking in public places since the implementation of that ban.

Anne Milton: None. Exemptions are listed in the legislation, statutory instrument 2007 No. 765. Public Health England. The Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007, and therefore cannot be issued on a discretionary basis.

Thromboembolism

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how he plans to develop an indicator for venous thromboembolism reduction to reflect the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standard which can be used by the NHS Commissioning Board and GP consortia;
	(2)  what  (a) evidence and  (b) procedures will be used to define the indicators which will appear in the finalised NHS Outcomes Framework;
	(3)  if he will bring forward proposals to include reduced venous thromboembolism as an indicator for safe treatment within the first NHS Outcomes Framework.

Simon Burns: The Government's White Paper 'Equality and Excellence: Liberating the NHS', published 12 July, set out how the improvement of health care outcomes for patients should be the primary purpose of the national health service.
	On 19 July, we launched a public consultation on proposals for developing an NHS Outcomes Framework. 'Transparency in outcomes-a framework for the NHS', seeks views on the structure, and core principles that should underpin the development of the framework as well as the more specific outcome indicators that should be included. The consultation can be accessed via the following link:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_117583
	and a copy has already been placed in the Library.
	The consultation document puts forward proposals for a framework structured around five broad outcome goals or domains.
	Domain 1: Preventing people from dying prematurely;
	Domain 2: Enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions;
	Domain 3: Helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or following injury;
	Domain 4: Ensuring people have a positive experience of care; and
	Domain 5: Treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.
	Within domain 5, which looks at patient safety, venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been included as an example in the improvement area covering safe treatment. In Annex A (page 59, paragraph 3.63) of the consultation document, the example indicator for VTE measures the incidence of VTE through Hospital Episode Statistics data. To support the achievement of outcomes in all domains of this framework, there will be a suite of Quality Standards setting out what high quality care looks across all major pathways of care.
	During the consultation period, the Department will be analysing potential outcome indicators against a set of criteria; which will lead to the selection of 20-30 evidence-based outcome indicators that are clinically relevant and reflect what is important to patients. In the selection of the final indicators for the framework, reference will be made to Quality Standards. This process is described in chapter 3 (page 18, paragraph 3.3-3.63) of the consultation document.
	The NHS Outcomes Framework will provide a mechanism by which the Secretary of State for Health can hold the proposed NHS Commissioning Board to account for the outcomes it is securing for patients through its role in allocating resources and overseeing the commissioning process that, in future, will be led locally by general practitioner consortiums. How consortiums are held to account for delivering these outcomes will be a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board to determine, subject to legislation.

Thromboembolism

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to Baroness Thornton of 19 July 2010,  Official Report,  House of Lords, columns 170-1WA, on health: malnutrition, 
	(1)  what changes he plans to make to the nationally-defined goal in the Commission for Quality and Innovation scheme for acute providers for 2011-12 in respect of reducing the incidence of venous thromboembolism by increasing the percentage of patients who must be risk-assessed using the national risk assessment tool before payment is triggered;
	(2)  what plans he has to retain for 2011-12 the current proportion of one fifth of the financial value of each acute provider in respect of the Commission for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) scheme which is linked to nationally-defined CQUIN goals.

Simon Burns: We expect to clarify any changes to the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation framework for 2011-12, including the financial value of schemes and whether there will be any nationally defined goals, later this year.

Tobacco

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the cost was of his Department's tobacco policy team in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 890-91W, on tobacco, what the job  (a) title and  (b) description is of the seven people employed in the tobacco policy team; and what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of employing those people.

Anne Milton: The grade titles and pay bands of the seven civil servants employed in the Department's Tobacco Programme are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Grade  Whole-time equivalent civil servants in tobacco programme  Current inner London pay range (minimum-maximum) 
			 Deputy Director (SCS1) 0.5 £58,200-£117,800 
			 Grade 6 1.0 £57,967-£73,828 
			 Grade 7 1.5 £46,698-£60,962 
			 Senior Executive Officer 1.0 £35,498-£45,118 
			 Fast Stream Officer 1.0 £28,884-£41,546 
			 Executive Officer 1.0 £23,767-£29,600 
			 Administrative Officer 1.0 £19,579-£23,120 
		
	
	Civil servants in the Department's Tobacco Programme are based in London and support Health Ministers achieve the Government's objectives in the area of tobacco control.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

1 Carlton Gardens

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) refurbishment and  (b) redecoration of the non-residential areas within 1 Carlton Gardens has been undertaken since his appointment; and what the cost to the public purse was in each case.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has undertaken some required refurbishment and redecoration of the non-residential areas of 1 Carlton gardens since the appointment of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.
	The refurbishment and redecoration of the non-residential areas has been undertaken in accordance with lease obligations and as a result of the Quadrennial Inspection of 2009.
	We are required under the terms of the fully repairing lease to
	"as often as necessary, well and substantially to repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair the demised premises."
	The cost for this essential upkeep was met from the FCO Estates maintenance budget as follows.
	 (a) Refurbishment costs for internal walls damaged by water ingress: £3,271;
	 (b) Painting, redecoration and some replastering of the stairwell covering three floors: £12,506.

Afghanistan: Religious Freedom

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Afghanistan on the extent of religious freedom in that country.

Alistair Burt: The Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief. We are working to support all individuals who face discrimination and persecution on the basis of religion, wherever they are in the world. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a regular dialogue with the Afghan Government on human rights, including the need to ensure the security of all Afghans, regardless of religion. Article two of the Afghan Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and we expect the Afghan Government to fully implement this. In addition, we will also raise particular cases of concern with the Afghan Government as necessary.

Arms Control

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations on establishing an International Arms Trade Treaty to limit the sales of arms to unsuitable states.

Alistair Burt: The UK actively supports the UN process to establish a strong, robust, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that will establish common international standards for the trade in conventional arms. Negotiation of an ATT began in New York from 12 to 23 July 2010 and good progress has been made. The meeting resulted in the chair of the process, Ambassador Moritan, producing a number of documents that will form a solid basis for negotiations to continue in February 2011. The timetable remains ambitious, but the UK will continue to support efforts to secure this important Treaty.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) supports the Government's Prompt Payment initiative and since its launch the Department and its agencies have continued to work hard to improve the percentage of supplier invoices paid promptly. This combined performance meant that the FCO paid 96.45% and 95.57% of supplier invoices within 10 days of receipt in July 2010 and August 2010 respectively.
	The FCO is aware of the importance of paying suppliers promptly, and makes every effort to pay 80% of supplier invoices within five working days.

Departmental Buildings

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those overseas properties which his Department shares  (a) with other United Kingdom departments and  (b) with foreign governments.

Alistair Burt: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) shares its overseas office accommodation with other United Kingdom Government Departments and the British Council in the 164 posts listed as follows. Full address details for the overseas properties involved can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website
	www.fco.gov.uk
	Abu Dhabi, British Embassy
	Abuja, British High Commission
	Accra, British High Commission
	Addis Ababa, British Embassy
	Algiers, British Embassy
	Alicante, British Consulate
	Almaty, British Embassy Office
	Amman, British Embassy
	Amsterdam, British Consulate-General
	Ankara, British Embassy
	Ashgabat, British Embassy
	Asmara, British Embassy
	Astana, British Embassy
	Athens, British Embassy
	Baghdad, British Embassy
	Bahrain, British Embassy
	Baku, British Embassy
	Bandar Seri Begawan, British High Commission
	Bangkok, British Embassy
	Banjul, British High Commission
	Barcelona, British Consulate-General
	Beijing, British Embassy
	Beirut, British Embassy
	Belgrade, British Embassy
	Berlin, British Embassy
	Berne, British Embassy
	Bogota, British Embassy
	Brasilia, British Embassy
	Bratislava, British Embassy
	Bridgetown, British High Commission
	Brussels-British Embassy
	Brussels, UK Permanent Representation to EU
	Bucharest, British Embassy
	Budapest, British Embassy
	Buenos Aires, British Embassy
	Cairo, British Embassy
	Canberra, British High Commission
	Caracas, British Embassy
	Castries, British High Commission
	Chennai, British Deputy High Commission
	Chicago, British Consulate-General
	Chisinau, British Embassy
	Chongqing, British Consulate-General
	Colombo, British High Commission
	Copenhagen, British Embassy
	Dakar, British Embassy
	Damascus, British Embassy
	Dar Es Salaam, British High Commission
	Dhaka, British High Commission
	Doha, British Embassy
	Dubai, British Embassy
	Dublin, British Embassy
	Dushanbe, British Embassy
	Dusseldorf, British Consulate-General
	Erbil, Office of the British Embassy
	Freetown, British High Commission
	Gaborone, British High Commission
	Geneva, British Consulate General
	Geneva, UK Mission to the United Nations
	Georgetown, British High Commission
	Gibraltar-Office of the Governor
	Guangzhou, British Consulate-General
	Hanoi, British Embassy
	Harare, British Embassy
	Havana, British Embassy
	Helsinki, British Embassy
	Ho Chi Minh City, British Consulate-General
	Hong Kong, British Consulate-General
	Islamabad, British High Commission
	Istanbul, British Consulate-General
	Jakarta, British Embassy
	Jerusalem, British Consulate-General
	Kabul, British Embassy
	Kampala, British High Commission
	Karachi, British Deputy High Commission
	Kathmandu, British Embassy
	Khartoum, British Embassy
	Kigali, British High Commission
	Kingston, British High Commission
	Kinshasa, British Embassy
	Kolkata, British Deputy High Commission
	Kuala Lumpur, British High Commission
	Kuwait, British Embassy
	Kyiv, British Embassy
	La Paz, British Embassy
	Lagos, British Deputy High Commission
	Lashkagar, Provincial Reconstruction Team
	Lilongwe, British High Commission
	Lima, British Embassy
	Lisbon, British Embassy
	Los Angeles, British Consulate-General
	Luanda, British Embassy
	Lusaka, British High Commission
	Madrid, British Embassy
	Malaga, British Consulate
	Manila, British Embassy
	Melbourne, British Consulate-General
	Mexico City, British Embassy
	Miami, British Consulate-General
	Milan, British Consulate-General
	Minsk, British Embassy
	Moscow, British Embassy
	Montserrat, Office of the Governor
	Mumbai, British Deputy High Commission
	Muscat, British Embassy
	Nairobi, British High Commission
	New Delhi, British High Commission
	New York, British Consulate General
	New York, UK Mission to the United Nations
	Nicosia, British High Commission
	Oslo, British Embassy
	Ottawa, British High Commission
	Panama City, British Embassy
	Paris, British Embassy
	Paris-UK Delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
	Podgorica, British Embassy
	Port Louis, British High Commission
	Port of Spain, British High Commission
	Prague, British Embassy
	Pretoria, British High Commission
	Pristina, British Embassy
	Quito, British Embassy
	Rabat, British Embassy
	Rangoon, British Embassy
	Riga, British Embassy
	Rio de Janeiro, British Consulate-General
	Riyadh, British Embassy
	Rome, British Embassy
	Sana'a, British Embassy
	Santiago, British Embassy
	Santo Domingo, British Embassy
	Sao Paulo, British Consulate-General
	Sarajevo, British Embassy
	Seoul, British Embassy
	Shanghai, British Consulate-General
	Singapore, British High Commission
	Skopje, British Embassy
	Sofia, British Embassy
	St Petersburg, British Consulate-General
	Stockholm, British Embassy
	Suva, British High Commission
	Taipei, British Trade and Cultural Office
	Tallinn, British Embassy
	Tangier, British Consulate
	Tashkent, British Embassy
	Tbilisi, British Embassy
	Tehran, British Embassy
	Tel Aviv, British Embassy
	The Hague, British Embassy
	Tirana, British Embassy
	Tokyo, British Embassy
	Tripoli, British Embassy
	Tunis, British Embassy
	Ulaanbaatar, British Embassy
	Vienna, British Embassy
	Vienna, UK Delegation to the Organisation for Security Cooperation in Europe
	Vienna, UK Mission to the United Nations
	Vilnius, British Embassy
	Warsaw, British Embassy
	Washington, British Embassy
	Wellington, British High Commission
	Yaounde, British High Commission
	Yerevan, British Embassy
	Zagreb, British Embassy
	The main users of the FCO overseas platform are the UK Border Agency; the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the British Council, HM Revenue and Customs, the Metropolitan Police and the Department for Work and Pensions.
	 (b) Office accommodation shared with foreign governments can be broken down into the following three categories:
	 Space sublet by the FCO to foreign governments:
	Baghdad (Canadian Embassy, Danish Embassy, Delegation of the European Union to Iraq)
	Chisinau (Dutch Honorary Consul)
	Freetown (French Consulate)
	Goma (French Diplomatic Representative)
	Kabul (New Zealand Embassy)
	Lashkar Gah (Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan)
	 Space sublet by foreign governments to the FCO:
	Antananarivo (German Embassy)
	Monrovia (US Embassy)
	Nouakchott (Delegation of the European Union to Mauritania)
	Pyongyang (German Embassy).
	 Co-located office space governed by separate lease agreements, or jointly owned:
	Bamako (Canadian Embassy)
	Dar Es Salaam (Dutch Embassy, German Embassy, Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania)
	Quito (German Embassy)
	Reykjavik (German Embassy).

Departmental Buildings

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much office space per employee his Department occupied in each year since 1997.

Alistair Burt: The space occupied per employee of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK for:
	2008-09-24.7 square metres NIA (Net Internal Area)
	2009-10-14.3 square metres NIA
	The information requested is not available for previous years.
	Since 2008 the FCO has been improving the quality of data relating to space utilisation on the estate. Better data allow for more accurate reporting, that along with more open planning of new offices have helped bring down the amount of space occupied per person.
	The nature of the two Grade I and II listed buildings in London whose internal configuration cannot easily be changed makes it difficult to secure further improvements and achieve the Government property unit's space guidelines set for the UK estate.

Departmental Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in each year since 2005.

Alistair Burt: Consultants are used where they fulfil a business need and the skills required are not available internally. Annual expenditure on consultants at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been published each year in our annual departmental report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and on our website. Actual consultancy expenditure in 2008-09 was £29.9 million rather then the estimated figure of £63.6 million quoted in the 2008-09 departmental report. Consultancy expenditure for 2009-2010 was £23 million.
	FCO Services were established as an executive agency in 2006 and then as a trading fund in on 1 April 2008. Consultancy expenditure figures have been published separately from the FCO since 2006 and can be found in the FCO Services annual report in the notes to the accounts, available in the Library of the House and on the FCO Services website.
	Wilton Park consultancy expenditure forms part of their published annual reports. Expenditure for the years they have used consultancy services are:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 8,612 
			 2008-09 9,969 
			 2009-10 12,000 
		
	
	British Council consultancy costs, as disclosed in the audited annual accounts, are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 28,000 
			 2006-07 140,000 
			 2007-08 148,000 
			 2008-09 372,000 
			 2009-10 1,066,000 
		
	
	The increased consultancy costs for the British Council in 2009-10 were incurred in support of the Doubling English growth programme relating to legal, local tax and other professional advice, as well as further specific international tax advice which the British Council procured in support of the establishment of the Shared Services Centre and other subsidiaries overseas.

Departmental Empty Property

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997.

Alistair Burt: This information is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each such year.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) would normally expect all its staff to pay any transport-related fines without recourse to public funds.
	Budgets in the FCO are devolved to individual directorates within the UK and its network of over 250 posts overseas. As a result, this information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Motor Vehicles

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the expenditure on vehicles of  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible was in each region in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is in each case for 2010-11.

Alistair Burt: FCO Services operates a UK based fleet of vehicles on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Total expenditure in each of the last three financial years was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2007/08 167,835 
			 2008/09 33,543 
			 2009/10 (1)461,320 
			 (1) £244,000 funded by the Low-Carbon Technology Fund within the Department for Energy and Climate Change to support the FCO's 10:10 commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in 2010 
		
	
	Expenditure in the current financial year (2010/11) is £38,865, and there are currently no plans for further expenditure during 2010/11.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in  (a) May and  (b) June 2010.

Alistair Burt: The total spend for Ministers on Government hospitality was:
	 (a) May 2010-£356.49
	 (b) June 2010-£233.96
	These figures are based on services used and paid for in the months of May and June.

Departmental Temporary Employment

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many temporary staff are employed by  (a) his Department and  (b) British embassies and consulates.

Alistair Burt: As of 1 July 2010 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) employed 215 staff directly on temporary contracts of 12 months or less in the UK. This figure does not include agency staff, specialist contractors, interim managers and consultants who do not have direct contracts of employment with the FCO, as we are currently compiling data on these categories of workers. I will update my right hon. Friend when this exercise is complete.
	To compile detailed information on temporary staff at our 258 posts overseas would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Alistair Burt: In the last financial year (2009-10) Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff attended a range of external course-that is courses designed and provided outside the FCO. Some of these were paid for centrally, and others were sourced and paid for on an individual basis by FCO teams and posts in response to their specific business needs.
	Human Resources Directorate of the FCO centrally funded three main external programmes: the Open University Scheme which cost about £345,000 for about 115 staff; Advanced Apprenticeships which cost about £1,365 for seven staff to attend; and a number of the National School of Government's courses to the cost of about £22,000 for 12 staff. This makes a total of £368,365.
	It would incur a disproportionate cost to provide details of external training courses procured by directorates other than Human Resources as this information is not held centrally.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the  (a) number  and (b) range of Hezbollah's missiles.

Alistair Burt: We are concerned by recent reports of weapons transfers to Hezbollah, including Hezbollah's own claims that it possesses significant military capabilities. We do not have specific figures but assess that since the end of the 2006 Lebanon conflict Hezbollah has replenished its holdings of short- and long-range rockets and missiles.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the number of Hezbollah members  (a) in Lebanon and  (b) who have been trained in Iran.

Alistair Burt: We do not have definite figures but Hezbollah has a significant number of members within Lebanon. Open sources indicate anywhere between 10,000 and 200,000 party members, however no distinctions are made between potential Hezbollah fighters, paid party members or Hezbollah party affiliates.
	We do not have any numbers for Hezbollah members who have been trained in Iran.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on Hezbollah's military capability in southern Lebanon.

Alistair Burt: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have regular discussions with our EU counterparts on the situation in the middle east and will raise Hezbollah if or when necessary.

Iran: Prisoners

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Iranian government on the imprisonment of Reza Shahabi;
	(2)  if he will take steps to secure the release of Reza Shahabi from imprisonment in Iran.

Alistair Burt: I raised the case of Reza Shahabi of the Tehran Bus Workers Union with the Iranian ambassador on 18 August. I also raised the case of his colleague, Saeed Torabian. I expressed concern at their detention and asked the Iranian ambassador to provide further details of why the individuals had been detained and on what charges.

Iran: Prisoners

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has responded to representation from Amnesty International on the imprisonment of Reza Shahabi.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of the representations from Amnesty International about the case of Reza Shahabi. I raised the case of Reza Shahabi of the Tehran Bus Workers Union with the Iranian ambassador on 18 August. I also raised the case of his colleague, Saeed Torabian. I expressed concern at their detention and asked the Iranian ambassador to provide further details of why the individuals had been detained and on what charges.

Iran: Uranium

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his  (a) Israeli,  (b) US,  (c) Egyptian,  (d) EU and  (e) Jordanian counterpart on Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

Alistair Burt: The UK maintains a regular dialogue with our key allies and regional partners on this issue.
	The latest report from the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran was discussed at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting in June 2010. The report indicated that Iran has produced 2,427 kg of low enriched uranium (LEU), enriched to less than 5%. The report also states that Iran has produced 5.7 kg of LEU enriched to just under 20%. This is a significant step towards the ability to enrich to weapons grade levels.
	The UK continues to implement the dual-track approach to the Iranian nuclear programme, the objective of which is to achieve a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue. The UK has been in regular discussions with the EU over the implementation of sanctions against Iran that go above and beyond those sanctions agreed in UN Security Council Resolution 1929.

Israel: Overseas Trade

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effects of changes to access arrangements for workers and goods entering or leaving Gaza since the announcements of Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 June and 5 July 2010.

Alistair Burt: According to the UN, a total of 1,048 truckloads of goods entered Gaza in the week beginning 15 August 2010, compared to 573 trucks for the week beginning 6 June 2010.
	Despite the increase of imports into the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, ongoing restrictions on the entry of construction materials, as well as on exports, continue to hamper major reconstruction and development projects.
	The UK, together with the EU and Quartet, will continue to press Israel to increase the capacity of the crossings for imports and exports and to allow the movement of people which are all vital to alleviate the dire situation in Gaza.

Libya

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials from his Department have had with their Libyan counterparts in the last 12 months; and what matters were discussed at those meetings.

Alistair Burt: Since becoming Minister for Middle East and North Africa, I have met the Libyan Europe Minister, Abdulati al-Obidi and the Libyan Minister for Public Security, General Abd al-Fatah Younis al-Obidi. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to the Libyan Foreign Minister, Musa Kusa by telephone. We both discussed UK-Libya relations, including issues relating to our difficult past, such as the importance of restarting the stalled investigation into the unlawful killing of WPC Yvonne Fletcher.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in Tripoli and in London have regular contact with their Libyan counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest, such as co-operation on migration and counter-terrorism.

UN Security Council

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the policy of his Department is on the addition of  (a) India,  (b) Brazil,  (c) Germany and  (d) Japan as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Henry Bellingham: The Government support permanent seats on a reformed UN Security Council for Japan, India, Germany and Brazil as well as African representation. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said in his speech at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 1 July 2010 'this Government will be at the forefront of those arguing for the expansion of the UN Security Council'. The Government consider that the Security Council needs to be reformed to ensure it is more representative of the modern world whilst no less effective in taking necessary decisions.

JUSTICE

Care Proceedings

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many care orders have been issued in England in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table shows the number of children made subject to a care order, in all tiers of court of England, in each year from 2004 to 2008, the last year for which figures have been published.
	
		
			  The number of children made subject to a care order in all tiers of court, England, 2004 to 2008 
			   Number 
			 2004 7,180 
			 2005 6,490 
			 2006 6,650 
			 2007 7,020 
			 2008 6,530 
		
	
	Statistics on public law disposals for England and Wales are published on an annual basis by the Ministry of Justice in the statistical report 'Judicial and Court Statistics'. Statistics for 2009 are due to be published in the next edition on 23 September 2010, and will be available from the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/judicialandcourtstatistics.htm

Cemeteries

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress the Government have made in the implementation of those recommendations of the Eighth Report of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, Session 2001-02, HC 91, on cemeteries which it accepted.

Jonathan Djanogly: We are currently considering what further steps might be taken in response to the Committee's recommendations. In particular, we are reviewing the case for re-using old cemeteries and updating the existing legislation. I will write to the hon. Member with details of the action that has been taken to date.

Closed Circuit Television: Prisons

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department provides to prisons on the  (a) use and  (b) regulations governing the use of closed circuit television cameras in visiting areas.

Crispin Blunt: Prisons may use CCTV systems overtly to monitor activity in visiting and other areas for reasons of security. Their use is governed by a number of National Offender Management Service policy documents including those that provide advice and guidance to staff on the Data Protection Act, prisoner communications, information management, searching, and visits.
	Prisons may also use CCTV for covert surveillance subject to meeting the requirements for directed surveillance set out in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.

Courts

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which magistrates courts in England had a utilisation rate of above 80 per cent. in 2009-10; and what the average time taken to complete a case was at those courts in that period;
	(2)  what the average time taken to complete a case was in England in 2009-10.

Jonathan Djanogly: In 2009-10 there were 44 magistrates courts in England with a utilisation rate of above 80%. Courtroom utilisation is the time a courtroom is used, against the hours that a courtroom is available for use. These courts are listed with the utilisation rate in the following table.
	The table also shows the estimated average times from the date an offence was committed to the date a case was completed in a magistrates court, for criminal cases in these magistrates courts during 2009-10. These figures are sourced from the quarterly Time Interval Survey.
	The estimated average time taken from the date an offence was committed to the date of completion for criminal cases across all magistrates courts in England in 2009-10 was 141 days.
	
		
			  Table 1: Magistrates courts utilisation rate and estimated average time from offence to completion for all defendants in all criminal cases in England, for courts with a utilisation rate over 80% in 2009-10 
			  Magistrates courts  Utilisation rate (%)  Estimated average number of days from offence to completion 
			 Aylesbury 87 156 
			 Banbury 85 178 
			 Basingstoke 81 107 
			 Blackpool 92 122 
			 Bristol 84 98 
			 Camberwell Green 84 85 
			 City of London 92 159 
			 City of Westminster 115 167 
			 Crawley 87 135 
			 Ealing 82 109 
			 Gateshead 86 104 
			 Greenwich 85 141 
			 Harrow 97 173 
			 Hatfield 118 (1)- 
			 Hendon 89 155 
			 Leicester 84 137 
			 Luton 83 143 
			 Maidstone 93 241 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne 90 137 
			 Newton Aycliffe 81 98 
			 North Tyneside 81 106 
			 Northallerton 94 138 
			 Northwich 80 179 
			 Nuneaton 91 123 
			 Preston 86 118 
			 Reading 83 154 
			 Redhill 80 133 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 80 166 
			 Scunthorpe 91 110 
			 Sevenoaks 83 177 
			 Sittingbourne 82 183 
			 Slough 102 116 
			 South East Northumberland 90 126 
			 South Western 82 214 
			 Stratford Upon Avon 90 128 
			 Thames 101 109 
			 Thanet (Margate) 94 75 
			 Torquay 81 147 
			 Uxbridge 94 136 
			 Walsall 81 102 
			 West London 93 118 
			 Wimbledon 84 146 
			 All magistrates courts in England with a utilisation rate above 80%  141 
			 (1 )Figures not shown due to low sample sizes.  Notes: 1. Statistics on the estimated average time from offence to completion are counted by defendant, rather than by case. Where a case involves more than one defendant, each defendant is counted separately.  2. The working assumption is that a courtroom is available 25 hours per week (five hours per weekday). These data come from an internal management system. The data are subject to our minimal levels of quality assurance and are based on the data currently available.  3. Utilisation rates of over 100% are possible when the actual number of hours used are higher than the standard availability for the period.  Source:  Courtroom Utilisation (Magistrates) and the magistrates courts Time Intervals Survey, HM Courts Service Performance Database ('OPT').

Courts: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  on how many and what proportion of occasions the maximum sentence for an offence was given in  (a) crown courts and  (b) magistrates courts in the latest year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average length was of a sentence handed down for each offence by each court in England and Wales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody, the maximum permissible sentence (estimated) and the immediate custodial sentence length is provided for both magistrates courts and the crown court is shown in the following tables.
	Few offenders receive a maximum sentence for an indictable offence at magistrates courts as the statutory maximum for most offences lies outside the jurisdiction of a magistrate.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010
	
		
			  Persons sentenced to immediate custody by court, average custodial sentence length and number of maximum permissible sentences used( 1)( , )( 2,)( )( 3) 
			  Offence group  Total immediate custody  Average cust odial sentence length (months)( 4)  Number of maximum sentences given( 5)  Percentage of sentences where maximum sentence is given  Total immediate custody  Average custodial sentence length (months)( 4)  Number of maximum sentences given  Percentage of sentences where maximum sentence is given 
			 Violence Against Person 3,745 4.0 - - 9,635 23.0 496 5.1 
			 Sexual Offences 169 4.0 - - 2,835 46.7 39 1.4 
			 Burglary 3,304 4.2 - - 6,656 24.1 0 0.0 
			 Robbery 481 8.4 - - 4,614 35.3 2 0.0 
			 Theft and Handling 16,947 2.1 - - 4,061 11.7 3 0.1 
			 Fraud and Forgery 926 2.8 - - 4,740 12.3 4 0.1 
			 Criminal Damage 473 2.3 - - 684 24.7 3 0.4 
			 Drug Offences 1,293 2.5 - - 8,195 37.5 32 0.4 
			 Indictable Motoring 269 4.9 1 0.4 1,133 10.5 6 0.5 
			 Other Indictable (Not Motoring) 3,656 1.9 4 0.1 5,242 17.4 31 0.6 
			 Total 31,263 2.7 5 0.0 47,795 25.1 616 1.3 
			  
			 Summary Non-Motoring 12,964 2.6 975 7.5 1,125 3.3 211 18.8 
			 Summary Motoring 6,121 3.2 469 7.7 257 3.3 33 12.8 
			  
			 All offences 50,348 2.7 1,449 2.9 49,177 24.5 860 1.7 
			 (1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008. (4) Excludes life and indeterminate sentences. (5) Few people receive a maximum sentence for an indictable offence at a magistrates court as the statutory maximum for most offences lies outside the jurisdiction of a magistrate  Note: 0.0% - Means less than 0.05%  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The percentages of payments made within 10 days to all suppliers for the months of July and August 2010 are:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 July 2010 93 
			 August 2010 93

Departmental Consultants

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what external  (a) agencies and  (b) consultancies are undertaking work commissioned by his Department; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) cost to the public purse is of each piece of work commissioned.

Crispin Blunt: The following tables show details of live contracts for consultancy services and the provision of specialist contractors and interim managers via agencies.
	In addition the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) contracts for the provision of temporary clerical, administrative and ancillary staff with the following agencies. The monetary value specified against each agency relates to the aggregate value of spend for quarter 1 of the 2010-11 financial year.
	
		
			  Temporary clerical and administrative 
			   £ 
			 Brook Street UK Ltd. 2,406,792 
			 Office Angels Ltd. 509,644 
			 Employment Plus Ltd. 70,891 
			 Hays Specialist Recruitment 822,307 
		
	
	
		
			  Temporary ancillary (non clerical and administrative) 
			   £ 
			 Hays Construction 1,924,418 
		
	
	
		
			  Requirement description  Total cost of contract (£)  Contract start  Contract end  Supplier name 
			 NOMS Operational Framework Scenario Analysis (Consultancy) 250,000 19 July 2010 29 October 2010 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
			 E-working project for Royal Courts of Justice (Consultancy) 270,000 1 July 2010 30 March 2011 AMTEC 
			 Financial Accounts team leader 36,000 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Adam Price 
			 System Integrator Services/R&R Programme and MoJ Shared Services 6,187,000 6 April 2010 30 November 2011 Parity 
			 Front line eRecruitment and redeployment system team/MoJ Shared Services Business Analyst and System Config Manager 126,350 TBC TBC Parity 
			 Solutions Architect/Shared Services Programme 111,000 1 July 2010 28 February 2011 ASE Consulting 
			 MoJ ICT Transformation Programme-non payroll staff 14,000,000 1 July 2010 31 March 2010 TBC 
			 Communications Manager 36,750 22 February 10 21 August 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Access to Justice Change Programme Finance Manager 71,000 6 April 2010 23 August 2010 Hudson Global Resources Ltd. 
			 ICT Procurement Telecoms Category Manager 75,400 1 June 2010 26 August 2010 Parity Resources Ltd. 
			 Accountant 34,754 26 April 2010 26 August 2010 Reed Personnel Services 
			 Communications Manager 37,638 29 March 2010 28 August 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 69,560 30 November 2009 29 August 2010 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 77,480 30 November 2009 31 August 2010 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 To provide communications support to the New Prisons site search project 78,225 4 January 2010 31 August 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Costings Manager 86,420 7 June 2010 31 August 2010 Hays Specialist Recruitment 
			 HR Change Project Manager 93,125 24 February 2010 31 August 2010 Walker Cox 
			 Procurement and Contract Management 74,500 1 May 2009 31 August 2010 Matchtech 
			 Study into methodology of short term outcome study of SDP 75,000 1 February 2010 1 September 2010 Jo Day 
			 Study into methodology of short term outcome study of SDP 75,000 1 February 2010 1 September 2010 Jo Day 
			 C-NOMIS project 83,132 1 April 2010 3 September 2010 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Business Analyst 88,920 1 April 2010 3 September 2010 Parity Resources Ltd. 
			 Comms Manager 64,908 15 February 2010 14 September 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Communications 27,621 22 March 2010 17 September 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Agency Staff 2,784 1 April 2010 26 September 2010 Michael Page 
			 Communications Officer 33,462 29 March 2010 28 September 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Core Programme-Project planner 90,395 2 November 2009 30 September 2010 NES IT 
			 NOMIS Security Architect 103,641 17 October 2009 30 September 2010 Sands 
			 Evaluation of Virtual Courts 94,834 1 September 2009 30 September 2010 WM Enterprise 
			 To provide activity based costing for Crown Court 102,030 30 May 2010 30 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Financial Accounts Team Leader 106,326 2 July 2010 30 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Review the Delivery of Drug Rehabilitation Requirement 24,010 16 December 2009 30 September 2010 Arun Sondhi 
			 Lawyer 44,285 1 April 2010 30 September 2010 Venn Group 
			 Supporting PSBU with competitive dialogue 195,000 6 April 2010 30 September 2010 PA Consulting Group 
			 MoJ Head of Group Accounts 62,650 1 January 2010 30 September 2010 Allen Lane 
			 Communications Officer 39,138 1 April 2010 30 September 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Regional Finance Manager 45,365 7 June 2010 7 October 2010 Badenoch and Clark 
			 Lead reward specialist 126,259 6 April 2010 8 October 2010 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Content Manager to MoJ through COI 27,621 21 April 10 15 October 2010 COI GovGap 
			 Non Executive Director 79,200 20 October 2009 19 October 2010 Partners of Prisoners 
			 Business Change Manager 148,500 19 October 2009 19 October 2010 QI Consulting 
			 SS Business Change Lead 153,340 24 May 2010 26 October 2010 Dbi Consulting 
			 Strategic Alliance Reprocurement Manager 162,327 26 May 2010 26 October 2010 Hays 
			 Implementation Manager for TCE Act programme 118,013 1 February 2010 29 October 2010 Smartsourcing 
			 Core Programme Change and Configuration Manager 60,399 1 February 2010 29 October 2010 Hays 
			 IT Service Manager 98,753 1 October 2009 31 October 2010 NES IT 
			 Interim Change Manager 93,005 1 April 2010 31 October 2010 Hays Specialist Recruitment 
			 Procurement and Contract Management 165,495 28 May 2010 31 October 2010 Hays 
			 Senior Scientific Officer 138,450 1 May 2010 4 November 2010 QI Consulting 
			 Business Case Manager 145,800 17 June 2010 16 November 2010 Russam GMS 
			 Business Change Manager (Vetting) 137,940 6 April 2010 19 November 2010 NES IT 
			 Design and Development Manager 162,401 15 August 2009 30 November 2010 Amtec Consulting plc 
			 Senior Scientific Officer 113,525 1 March 2010 30 November 2010 QI Consulting 
			 Procurement unit Manager 166,225 1 March 2010 30 November 2010 Matchtech Group UK Ltd. 
			 Accountant/Tester 61,643 19 April 2010 30 November 2010 Michael Page 
			 Developer/Tester 52,140 19 April 2010 30 November 2010 Monarch Recruitment Ltd. 
			 Procurement Project Manager 122,500 7 December 2009 6 December 2010 Russam GMS 
			 RPU SE Procurement Manager 161,601 17 May 2010 10 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Resource Manager 294,930 11 December 2010 22 December 2010 Methods Consulting Ltd. 
			 Findings and acceptance of interim findings report 112,893 20 January 2009 30 December 2010 National Centre for Social Research 
			 Technical Architect 231,340 20 July 2009 31 December 2010 Parity Resources Ltd. 
			 NOMIS Programme Support 295,868 1 April 2010 31 December 2010 Sand Resources Ltd 
			 Change Manager 121,897 1 August 2009 31 December 2010 NES IT 
			 Resource Manager 84,063 1 April 2010 31 December 2010 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Change Manager 81,417 1 January 2010 31 December 2010 NES IT 
			 Non Executive Director 161,400 1 January 2010 31 December 2010 Janardan Sofat 
			 Project Implementation Manager 139,500 11 January 2010 10 January 2011 Sand-UK 
			 Business Analyst 173,420 1 June 2010 30 January 2011 Tribal Consortium 
			 Senior Project Management Support 194,350 1 February 2010 31 January 2011 Badenoch & Clark Ltd. 
			 Transforming Justice-Public engagement Programme 105,417 1 February 2010 1 February 2011 Andrew Darton 
			 Transforming Justice-Public engagement Programme 206,250 1 February 2010 1 February 2011 Future Company 
			 Transforming Justice-Public engagement Programme 115,326 1 February 2010 1 February 2011 Craig Ross Dawson 
			 Shared Services Design and Implementation PM 226,797 14 June 2010 25 February 2011 Amtec Consortium 
			 Belief in Change Programme 148,500 1 March 2010 1 March 2011 Antonio Pangallo 
			 Technical support 118,470 26 April 2010 31 March 2011 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 Responsibility for delivery of the NOMIS programme 211,006 1 December 2009 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Document Manager 114,575 2 November 2009 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd 
			 Environments Manager 282,791 22 October 2009 31 March 2011 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 NOMIS programme technical support 148,985 1 April 2010 31 March 2011 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 NOMIS Information Technology Business Analyst 148,917 1 August 2009 31 March 2011 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 Senior Quality Assurance 215,378 1 April 2010 31 March 2011 LA International 
			 Provision of an evaluation officer 93,340 1 September 2009 31 March 2011 Darnley Consultancy Ltd. 
			 Maintain NOMIS Test Strategy 258,415 1 August 2009 31 March 2011 NES IT 
			 Data Share Project Manager 224,138 29 August 2009 31 March 2011 NES IT 
			 Overall responsibility for NOMIS Programme 335,665 5 September 2009 31 March 2011 Alpine Resourcing 
			 Technical and Requirements Adviser 344,640 27 March 2010 31 March 2011 Technology Project Services 
			 NOMIS Programme 225,632 2 November 2009 31 March 2011 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 168,730 18 March 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 150,780 1 June 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Test Analyst 158,678 26 April 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Test Analyst 158,678 26 April 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Provision of Integrated Offender Management 125,650 1 June 2010 31 March 2011 London 
			 Quality Assurance Manager 184,885 1 May 2010 31 March 2011 Methods Consulting Ltd 
			 Freelance Events Consultant 59,932 1 April 2009 31 March 2011 COI GovGap 
			 Business Change PM 276,430 1 April 2010 31 March 2011 Tri bal Consortium 
			 Programme Support Manager 127,039 18 January 2009 30 April 2011 Russam GMS 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 135,720 1 April 2010 31 May 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 109,200 1 April 2010 31 May 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 150,400 1 April 2010 31 May 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 127,680 1 April 2010 31 May 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 122,670 5 June 2009 31 May 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Business Case Manager 387,332 1 December 2009 31 May 2011 Parity Resources Ltd. 
			 Shared Services programme 158,760 4 March 2010 31 May 2011 Hays 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 147,278 1 April 2010 31 July 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 141,440 1 April 2010 31 July 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Test Analyst (change of role) 128,520 1 June 2010 31 July 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Test Analyst 118,860 29 August 2010 31 July 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Test Lead 122,670 30 August 2010 31 July 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 192,400 1 April 2010 31 August 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 191,290 1 April 2010 1 September 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Provision of a three year maintenance contract to the risk of harm guidance and training resource 40,467 23 March 2009 22 March 2012 De Montfort Expertise Ltd. 
			 In house bidding capability 41,663 18 September 2009 17 September 2012 P A Consulting 
			 Consultancy to HM Courts Service Disability Discrimination Estate 53,010 1 December 2009 30 November 2012 RNIB Access Consultancy Services 
			 In-house delivery of internal audit services 110,585 4 January 2010 3 January 2013 Ernst & Young 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 204,450 1 April 2010 30 November 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 204,450 1 April 2010 30 November 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Various Test Resource to assist with the NOMIS Programme 115,362 1 April 2010 30 November 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Head of Service Operations 108,900 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Qi Consulting 
			 Problem and Incident Support 46,662 1 July 2010 26 October 2010 LA International 
			 Assurance Analyst 56,760 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources Ltd 
			 Infrastructure Architect 49,500 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Kaiko 
			 Business Support 13,226 1 April 2010 30 September 2010 Kelly Services 
			 Service Capacity and Availability Support 14,362 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Barnett Personnel 
			 Information Assurance 158,760 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 NES IT 
			 Test Manager 78,400 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Continual Service Improvement Analyst 66,620 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 HAYS 
			 Programme Manager 103,275 27 July 2010 31 January 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Manager 61,380 22 March 2010 21 September 2010 Amtec Consulting 
			 Project Manager 100,800 7 July 2010 31 March 2011 Amtec Consulting 
			 Project Manager 46,666 1 July 2010 26 October 2010 LA International 
			 Project Team Member 19,976 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Brook Street 
			 Project Team Member 38,414 4 June 2009 31 July 2010 Brook Street 
			 Quality Assurance/PPM Standards and Tooling 45,184 6 April 2010 30 September 2010 Amtec Consulting 
			 Change Control 51,328 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Hays IT 
			 Analyst/Programmer 47,394 1 August 2010 31 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Analyst/Programmer 65,920 1 July 2010 31 January 2011 NES IT 
			 Analyst/Programmer 53,719 19 July 2010 31 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Analyst/Programmer 23,706 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Head of Customer Service Relationship 91,740 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Advantage (TPS) 
			 Business Support Officer/PA 17,765 1 May 2010 30 September 2010 Adept recruitment 
			 Assurance Analyst 29,315 1 July 2010 26 August 2010 Methods Consulting Ltd. 
			 Enterprise Architect 56,100 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources Ltd. 
			 Lead Accreditor 75,900 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Capgemini 
			 Business Support 17,470 1 April 2010 30 September 2010 Kelly Services 
			 Business Plan and Delivery Assurance 78,480 1 November 2010 31 March 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Solution Architect 59,400 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources 
			 Application Architect 43,400 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Service Continuity Analyst 41,104 10 May 2010 6 October 2010 Advantage (TPS) 
			 Infrastructure Services Analyst 105,600 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Methods Consulting 
			 Acceptance into Service Analyst 38,153 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Programme Manager 121,970 29 March 2010 28 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Senior Project Manager 95,345 1 April 2010 26 September 2010 Venn Group 
			 Project Manager 104,076 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 AMTEC Consulting 
			 Project Manager 61,600 29 March 2010 28 October 2010 AMTEC Consulting 
			 Junior Analyst/Programmer 36,630 1 August 2010 31 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Solution Development Support 13,129 1 June 2010 1 October 2010 Reed Employment 
			 Lead Account Manager MoJ HQ 46,900 24 May 2010 24 August 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Head of Service Delivery  1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Veredus 
			 Problem and Incident Analyst 22,572 2 August 2010 30 September 2010 Reed Specialist Recruitment 
			 Problem and Incident Support 25,080 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 NES IT 
			 Head of Financial Services Unit 195,020 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Tribal Consortium 
			 Request for Service Support 9,330 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Adept 
			 Request for Service Support 7,799 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Employment Plus 
			 Problem, Incident and Security Manager 65,802 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 NES IT 
			 Infrastructure Architect 37,885 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Information Architect 70,552 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Information Security Manager 150,920 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 SELEX Communications Ltd. 
			 Head of Security Architecture and Project Delivery 205,800 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Actica Consulting 
			 IA Governance Analyst 105,840 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 ASE Consulting 
			 Infrastructure Architect 45,540 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources Ltd. 
			 Technical Manager 245,000 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Cap Gemini 
			 Solution Architect 49,500 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Kaiko 
			 Infrastructure Services Manager 135,238 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Rullion Computer Personnel 
			 Infrastructure Services Analyst 34,497 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 HAYS IT 
			 Application Services Analyst 40,578 12 April 2010 30 September 2010 Monarch 
			 Acceptance into Service Manager 37,950 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 NES IT 
			 Service Level Analyst 27,961 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Sand Resources 
			 Service Level Analyst 56,547 15 March 2010 30 September 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Service Level and Improvement Manager 66,550 1 August 2010 31 December 2010 NES IT 
			 Lead Account Manager-CJG 195,750 21 April 2010 20 April 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Lead Account Manager MoJ HQ 47,972 24 May 2010 24 August 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Head of Vendor Management and Service Transition 155,760 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Veredus 
			 Request for Service Support 9,330 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Adept 
			 Release Analyst 38,614 26 April 10 6 October 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Assurance Analyst 29,315 1 July 2010 26 August 2010 Methods Consulting Ltd. 
			 Configuration Analyst 33,825 1 July 2010 26 August 2010 Methods Consulting 
			 Infrastructure Architect 34,255 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 Security Operation Support 5,882 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Kelly Services 
			 Lead Accreditor 205,800 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 ACTICA Consulting 
			 Finance and Operation Lead 58,500 3 July 2010 31 December 2010 Networkers MSB 
			 Business Support 10,064 18 May 2010 17 August 2010 Brook Street 
			 Personal Assistant 19,864 1 May 2010 30 September 2010 Northern Recruitment Group 
			 Application Architect 37,950 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources 
			 Solution Architect 49,698 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources 
			 Service Capacity and Availability Analyst 34,320 1 April 2010 30 June 2010 Methods Consulting 
			 Solution Architect 195,588 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Interim Head of ICT Networks 176,400 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 ASE Consulting 
			 Information Assurance 102,960 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Selex Communications 
			 Information Assurance 114,840 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Regency ITC 
			 Information Assurance 49,500 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Portcullis Computer Security Ltd. 
			 Technical Lead-ICT Procurement 277,965 1 April 2010 31 March 2011 Computer People 
			 Senior Testing Manager 87,384 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Reed Technology 
			 Acceptance into Service Manager 37,350 7 May 2010 31 August 2010 Certes Computing 
			 Acceptance into Service Analyst 42,000 4 May 2010 6 October 2010 Certes Computing 
			 Acceptance into Service Analyst 9,652 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Barnett Personnel 
			 Head of Delivery Management (NOMS) 180,590 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Alpine Consortium 
			 Configuration Support 32,070 24 May 2010 6 October 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 ATIA Portfolio Management and Best Practice Lead 130,680 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 PCUBED 
			 Infrastructure Architect 30,544 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Monarch Contract Recruitment 
			 Service Capacity and Availability Analyst 19,475 1 July 2010 26 August 2010 Methods Consulting 
			 Technical Manager 64,609 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 Solution Architect 49,829 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Sand Resources Ltd. 
			 Infrastructure Architect 80,040 2 August 2010 31 March 2011 Certes Computing 
			 Information Assurance-delivery and advisory SME 136,620 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Alpine Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Test Manager 45,796 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Senior Project Manager 54,450 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Senior Project Manager 38,746 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Senior Project Manager 100,572 2 August 2010 31 March 2011 Hays IT 
			 Senior Project Manager 23,100 1 July 2010 31 July 2010 Alpine Consortium 
			 Senior Project Manager 95,454 29 March 2010 28 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Senior Project Manager 32,406 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Senior Project Manager 177,500 1 March 2010 31 March 2011 Amtec Consulting 
			 Senior Project Manager 48,389 17 May 2010 16 September 2010 Advantage 
			 Senior Project Manager 165,829 17 May 2010 16 July 2011 Advantage Technical Resourcing 
			 Senior Project Manager 141,941 17 May 2010 31 March 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Manager 142,302 1 April 2010 31 March 2011 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Manager 26,219 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Project Manager 32,406 1 July 2010 26 September 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 20,951 1 July 2010 26 August 2010 NetworkersMSB 
			 Test Manager Omni T 76,908 1 August 2010 31 March 2011 Capita 
			 Web Developer 27,060 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Redeployment Manager 55,770 1 August 2010 31 December 2010 Networkers MSB 
			 Resource Co-ordinator 7,488 1 July 2010 13 August 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Test Manager Omni T 81,780 1 August 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing 
			 e-working project 43,560 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Web developer 27,060 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Application Service Analyst 22,000 1 August 2010 30 September 2010 Parity Resources 
			 Application Service Analyst 30,709 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Rullion Computer Personnel 
			 RFS Support 6,468 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Kelly Services 
			 Senior Recruitment Advisor 68,000 3 May 2010 24 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Manager 23,100 1 August 2010 30 September 2010 Amtec 
			 Resource Administrator 11,889 19 April 2010 18 September 2010 Employment Plus 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 43,260 1 July 2010 26 October 2010 LA International 
			 DIR Project Specialist 119,513 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Hudson 
			 Personal Assistant 77,068 1 July 2009 31 March 2011 Adept Recruitment 
			 Continual Service Improvement 9,737 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Reed Employment 
			 Recruitment Team Lead 31,600 13 May 2010 31 August 2010 Elan 
			 Test Analyst OMNI T 87,200 1 June 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing 
			 Personal Assistant 10,798 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Adept Recruitment 
			 RFS Support 7,862 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Adept Recruitment 
			 Senior Project Manager 104,545 24 May 2010 23 November 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Programme Manager 41,800 1 July 2010 31 August 2010 ASE 
			 Recruitment Advisor 15,600 14 May 2010 31 August 2010 Elan 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 65,943 1 July 2010 31 January 2011 Acumen Consortium 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 28,710 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Test Analyst Omni T 78,400 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing Ltd. 
			 Customer Service Support 15,479 1 April 2010 30 September 2010 Employment Plus 
			 RFS Support 34,974 1 October 2009 30 September 2010 TBC (Hudson/Northern Recruitment Group) 
			 Project Finance 125,775 1 July 2010 30 March 2011 Michael Page International 
			 Comms Manager 66,805 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Hudson Global resources 
			 Project Planner 46,487 18 July 2010 31 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 31,020 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Test Analyst Omni T 83,980 9 November 2009 31 July 2010 Capita Resourcing 
			 Test Manager Quip 145,506 5 January 2010 31 December 2010 Capita 
			 DIR Project Specialist 79,870 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Advantage 
			 Technical Analyst 26,035 1 July 2010 26 August 2010 Methods Consulting 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 36,300 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Test Analyst MCOBS 32,010 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Test Analyst Omni T 103,550 1 June 2010 31 March 2011 Capita Resourcing 
			 Service Transition Manager 197,960 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Methods Consulting 
			 Business Support Officer 12,297 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Kelly Services 
			 Service Level Analyst 11,225 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Reed Employment 
			 RFS Support 6,727 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Employment Plus 
			 Service Architect 63,512 24 May 2010 30 November 2010 Monarch Recruitment 
			 Recruitment Co-ordinator 31,680 15 March 2010 29 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Manager 62,603 11 June 2010 31 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Resource Co-ordinator 35,000 19 April 2010 31 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Manager 41,581 7 June 2010 31 October 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Test Manager Omni T 61,236 1 June 2010 30 October 2010 Capita Resourcing 
			 e-working project 43,560 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Parity 
			 Web Developer 27,060 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Customer Service Support 11,035 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Morgan Hunt 
			 Personal Assistant 11,321 29 May 2010 30 September 2010 Brook Street 
			 Project Co-ordinator 33,930 1 July 2010 30 October 2010 Parity 
			 Project Finance 127,400 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Platinum resources 
			 Recruitment Advisor 57,460 3 May 2010 24 December 2010 Elan 
			 Project Communications 43,500 1 July 2010 30 October 2010 Michael Page International 
			 Project Communications 37,065 1 July 2010 30 October 2010 Hudson Global resources 
			 Senior Project Manager 152,844 1 April 2010 31 December 2010 Hudson Global Resources 
			 Resource Co-ordinator 14,916 24 May 2010 23 August 2010 NetworkersMSB 
			 NOMIS Service Manager 30,888 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Rethink Recruitment Solutions 
			 Service Level Manager 32,472 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Amtec 
			 Head of Finance 131,340 1 July 2010 31 December 2010 Tribal Consortium 
			 Technical Support 33,000 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Change and Release 28,248 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Advantage Technical Consulting 
			 Security Operation Analyst 54,131 2 August 2010 2 February 2011 Advantage Technical Consulting 
			 Athena Support Manager 64,733 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Manpower 
			 DIR Project Specialist 92,781 20 July 2010 31 March 2011 Monarch 
			 Technical Support 33,000 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Project Co-ordinator 54,715 28 March 2010 29 October 2010 - 
			 Project Co-ordinator 15,851 1 April 2010 30 September 2010 Adept 
			 Technical Support 33,000 1 July 2010 30 September 2010 Badenoch & Clark 
			 Programme Manager 186,200 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 ASE 
			 Senior Project Manager 118,125 12 July 2010 31 March 2011 Amtec 
			 Athena Project Manager 100,940 1 July 2010 31 March 2011 Parity Resources

Departmental Contracts

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what contracts his Department and its agencies have with each private sector company; on what date each such contract commenced; what the duration is of each such contract; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of each such contract; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not maintain central records of contracts held by the department and its agencies with private sectors companies. To obtain the information requested would require the manual collection of all records and associated data from each individual agency at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each year.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is not the Ministry of Justice's policy to settle any transport-related fines on the behalf of its staff.
	There is no evidence held centrally to indicate since 2005 that the Ministry of Justice and its predecessor, the Department for Constitutional Affairs, has settled any transport-related fines on behalf of its staff. To provide absolute confirmation of this would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Jonathan Djanogly: Responsibility for employee learning and development training is devolved to business groups within the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).
	Most training occurs within the normal working environment in the form of on the job learning and development where employees receive detailed procedural and operational training, coaching, and day-to-day advice. Prison and probation officers, however, have to undergo extensive formal training to undertake their duties in accordance with professional standards.
	The figures provided include both internal and external training courses. The MoJ's accounting systems do not separately quantify expenditure on internal and external training courses. Costs are subsumed within numerous categories of expenditure, for example training, training courses, training courses/event. It would incur disproportionate costs to scrutinise all the individual transactions which might potentially include external training costs across the Ministry and its executive agencies. Additionally, It would also incur disproportionate costs to identify the number of staff that attended these external training courses.
	The following table shows expenditure on both internal and external training courses for the financial year ending 31 March 2010.
	
		
			  2009-10 
			  Department  £000 
			 Ministry of Justice HQ 3,194 
			 NOMS (excluding probation trusts)(1) 19,170 
			 HMCS(2) 120 
			 Tribunals Service 707 
			 OPG 54 
			 Total 25,245 
			 (1) The expenditure on employee training for NOMS covers all staff training courses (including first aid) and further education courses. This also includes the purchase of associated materials and equipment.  Note: Figures for MOJ HQ, HMCS and Tribunals exclude Magistrates and Judicial training.

Dogs: Animal Welfare

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of involvement in dog fighting in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008, (iv) 2009 and (v) 2010.

Crispin Blunt: Section 8 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (which came into force 6 April 2007) created specific offences for involvement in animal fighting but not specifically dog fighting. The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for this offence, England and Wales 2007 to 2008 (latest available) are shown in the following table.
	Dog fighting offences prior to 6 April 2007 were prosecuted under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. As this Act does not separately identify animal fighting or dog fighting within the statute, the Ministry of Justice are unable to provide any figures for this period.
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010. Data for 2010 are planned for publication in the autumn, 2011.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for animal fighting offences( 1) , England and Wales, 2007 and 2008( 2, 3, 4) 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 2007 - - 
			 2008 5 5 
			 (1 )Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 8. Came into force on 6 April 2007. (Note: animals other than dogs may be included). (2 )The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4 )Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Expert Evidence: Social Work

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the average payment per hour made to independent social workers as expert witnesses in family proceedings in  (a) magistrates courts,  (b) county courts and  (c) the High Court in each year since 2002;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average amount of payments to  (a) child psychologists,  (b) child psychiatrists,  (c) adult psychologists,  (d) adult psychiatrists,  (e) play therapists,  (f) radiologists and  (g) paediatricians as expert witnesses to family courts in each year from 2002; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will reverse the decision to exclude independent social workers from the remit of the Expert Witnesses Review Group; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) does not routinely collect or separately record the amounts paid to expert witnesses in legally aided cases because they do not contract with them directly. However, my Department recently asked the LSC to conduct a limited file review exercise of payments made to expert witnesses in legal aid cases to inform our 'Analysis of expert witness fees paid in legal aid work research project'.
	Independent social work (ISW) groups have been invited to see and to comment on any emerging findings from the expert witness fees project as part of a wider reference group.
	As has always been made clear, however, the file review exercise did not collect information on payments to ISWs as these were consulted on as part of the joint Ministry of Justice (MOJ)/LSC consultation 'Family Legal Aid Funding from 2010' which ran from 18 December 2008 to 3 April 2009. As a result of the consultation, new payment rates for ISWs will be implemented with the new civil contracts in October 2010.

Expert Evidence: Social Work

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will consult independent social workers who have provided expert witness reports to courts since 2002 to assess the financial effect on them of the proposed reduction of fees from 14 October 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: Changes to the rates paid for independent social work in civil legal aid cases will come into effect with the new civil legal aid contracts from 14 October 2010. From this date, the fees paid by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) for independent social work will be set at the same level as those currently paid by the Children and Family Court Advisory Service (CAFCASS) and CAFCASS Cymru. The new rates will apply to both public and private law children cases.
	The changes were consulted on and agreed as part of the joint MOJ and Legal Services Commission (LSC) consultation, Family Legal Aid Funding from 2010 which took place between December 2008 and April 2009. It was not possible to assess the financial impact on individual independent social workers (ISW) as the LSC does not contract with them directly. However, full consideration was given to all written responses received from ISWs and the LSC met with several ISW groups during consultation. The consultation response document and impact assessment was published on 21 October 2009 and is available on the LSC website at:
	https://consult.legalservices.gov.uk/inovem/consult.ti/FamilyFees2008/listdocuments

First Offenders: Custodial Treatment

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of defendants with no previous  (a) convictions and  (b) cautions was given a custodial sentence for a first offence in  (a) magistrates and  (b) Crown courts in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Figures for the number and proportion of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences in 2008, the most recent data available, by court type and previous conviction or caution history are presented in the following table.
	
		
			  The proportion of offenders who were sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences in 2008 without previous convictions or without previous cautions by court type: England and Wales 
			   Offenders who were sentenced for indictable offences in 2008 
			   Without previous convictions  Without previous cautions  Without previous convictions/c autions 
			   Immediate custody  All  %  Immediate custody  Alt  %  Immediate Custody  All  % 
			 Magistrates courts 2,025 20,810 10 13,394 39,896 34 1,186 17,916 7 
			 The Crown courts 10,361 43,470 24 22,852 76,755 30 8,341 15,561 54 
			 All courts(1) 12,389 64,379 19 36,261 117,348 31 9,529 33,889 28 
			 (1) The All courts figures include cases where the court is not recorded 
		
	
	The figures shown are a further breakdown of the criminal history statistics presented in chapter 6 of 'Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales 2008' which was published on 28th January 2010 and can be found at
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/sentencingannual.htm
	'Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales 2009' with 2009 data will be published on 21 October 2010.
	The figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Freedom of Information: Legislation

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are considering a range of options to increase transparency, including extending the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to additional public authorities. The Government will announce their intentions in due course.

Freedom of Information: Network Rail

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government plans to extend the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to Network Rail.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are considering a range of options for increasing transparency, including extending the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to additional public authorities.
	The Government will announce their intentions in due course, including any in relation to Network Rail.

Independent Appeals Tribunal

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time was between submission of an attendance allowance appeal to the Independent Appeals Tribunal in  (a) Glasgow,  (b) Scotland and  (c) the UK and determination of the appeal in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The average time from submission to determination of attendance allowance appeals between July 2009 and June 2010 (the most recent period for which figures are available) was:
	
		
			   Weeks 
			 Glasgow 16.22 
			 Scotland 15.05 
			 UK 15.81 
		
	
	The Tribunals Service target is to deal with 75% of SSCS appeals within 16 weeks.

Juries: Crown Courts

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the average proportion of a juror's attendance time that is spent in court in Crown court cases.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information provided details the percentage of time jurors actually sat on trials in Crown court cases in the financial year 2008-09 and 2009-10 for each HMCS region in England and Wales.
	
		
			  HMCS juror utilisation figures in the Crown courts 
			  Percentage 
			  HMCS region  2008-09  2009-10 
			 London 74.0 76.6 
			 Midlands 55.4 65.3 
			 North East 59.5 60.8 
			 North West 59.8 64.3 
			 South East 60.5 64.3 
			 South West 54.0 59.7 
			 Wales 59.1 63.2 
			 England and Wales 62.8 67.2

Justices' Clerks: Surrey

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Clerks to the Justices who were qualified solicitors or barristers there were in Surrey between  (a) 1979 and 1989,  (b) 1990 and 1999 and  (c) 2000 and 2009.

Jonathan Djanogly: The clerks to the justices for Surrey between 1979 and 2009 were:
	In the period 1979 to 1989 there were six justices' clerks, three of whom were solicitors and three were barristers.
	In the period 1990 to 1999 there were four justices' clerks, one of whom was a solicitor and three were barristers.
	In the period 2000 to 2009 there was one justices' clerk who was, and still is, a barrister.
	The justices' clerk is the principal legal adviser to the magistrates and the provider of consistent legal advice throughout their clerkship. Decisions on the numbers of justices clerk before 2005 were taken by Magistrates Courts Committees in consultation with magistrates. The position of justices clerks was reviewed in 2007 when the number of clerkships was reduced from 70 to 49.

Legal Aid: Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for legal aid for cases relating to mental health legislation compared to that for other legal sectors.

Jonathan Djanogly: The vast majority of spend in the mental health category of law is applied to clients seeking to challenge the terms of their detention under the Mental Health Act by applying to a mental health tribunal. Given the importance of this work it is provided without reference to a client's financial circumstances.
	The Legal Services Commission (LSC) continues to ensure that demand for mental health legal services is met. Following the recent tender for new contracts from October 2010, they will be allocating approximately 1,500 more new matter starts in mental health in the 2010-11 contract year than were allocated in 2009-10. The mental health contract tenders were carried out on a non-competitive basis, and the number of applicants who have been provisionally offered a contract closely matches the number of existing providers. The LSC is confident that the overall provision of mental health services will remain good.

Legal Services Commission: Training

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) training his Department has provided and  (b) guidance his Department has issued to the Legal Services Commission in respect of procurement law and the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice were engaged in the development and agreement of the policy that was implemented through the tender process. However, as the Legal Services Commission has managed the tender process, trained and qualified procurement and legal staff from the Commission have participated in the entire tender process and no further input from the Ministry was sought or offered in respect of procurement law and the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.

Magistrates Courts: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of those sentenced in magistrates courts in the latest year for which figures are available were given a period of  (a) immediate and  (b) suspended custody;
	(2)  how many people have been given community sentences in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of offenders and proportion of total offenders sentenced to immediate custody or suspended sentence at magistrates courts in England and Wales for 2008 are shown in table 1.
	The number of offenders sentenced to a community sentence at magistrates courts in England and Wales 2006 to 2008 are shown in table 2.
	This information is taken from chapter 1 (table 1.5) and chapter 3 (table 3.3) of Sentencing Statistics 2008, available at the following link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/sentencingannual.htm
	Court proceedings data for 2009 are due to be published on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number and percentage of immediate and suspended custodial sentences given in magistrates courts, 2008 
			   Number  Proportion of the total sentenced (percentage) 
			 Total sentenced 1,265,287 100 
			 Immediate custody 50,348 4.0 
			 Suspended custody 23,705 1.9 
			
			  Other sentences   
			 Fine 880,353 69.6 
			 Community sentence 174,832 13.8 
			 Otherwise dealt with 85,075 6.7 
			 Conditional discharge 41,363 3.3 
			 Absolute discharge 9,611 0.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of community sentences handed down at all courts, by year, 2006-08 
			   Number 
			 2006 190,837 
			 2007 196,424 
			 2008 190,171 
			  Notes: 1. The category 'other' includes: one day in police cells, disqualification order, restraining order, confiscation order, travel restriction order, disqualification from driving, and recommendation for deportation and other miscellaneous disposals. 2. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. 3. These data have been taken from the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings database. These data are presented on the principal offence basis. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe. 4. Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July, and August 2008.  Source: Justice Statistics-Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice

Magistrates Courts: Woking

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what expenditure his Department has incurred on Woking magistrates court in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what expenditure his Department has incurred on upgrading facilities at Woking magistrates court in each of the last 20 years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The total resource costs for Woking magistrates court for the last five financial years are shown in the table A. These resource costs exclude income but include non-cash costs, staffing costs and judicial costs and align with the data held on the MOJ accounting system.
	The capital costs relating to improvement works for Woking magistrates court for the last five financial years are shown in table B.
	Up until 1 April 2005 magistrates courts were the responsibility of locally managed Magistrates Courts Committees who were statutorily independent. Whilst information from the last five financial years is readily available, it is not possible to collate information for the years prior to this without incurring disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  Table A: Woking magistrates court resource costs 
			  £000 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Staff costs (wages and salaries)(1) 642.8 656.0 619.2 618.2 271.1 
			 Agency staff 0.9 15.0 3.8 16.9 6.9 
			 Property rent and rates 82.9 99.5 105.7 110.0 115.4 
			 Maintenance and improvement 22.1 31.3 44.2 21.4 22.5 
			 Other property costs (inc. security, cleaning, waste and refuse) 30.2 25.9 108.4 112.2 117.8 
			 Other expenditure 9.8 5.8 4.0 10.0 9.1 
			 Printing, postage and office expenditure 20.0 17.5 18.1 17.1 18.3 
			 Staff travel and other 4.3 7.5 4.7 6.9 1.9 
			 Depreciation and amortisation(2) 21.3 25.7 134.3 119.5 115.5 
			 Diminution of fixed and intangible assets(2) 0.5 2.1 319.7 608.0 634.8 
			 Fuel and utilities 19.7 44.1 65.9 55.5 44.4 
			 Contracted out services 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 IT and telecommunications 5.8 5.9 8.9 8.1 7.4 
			 Judicial costs 41.2 63.2 83.8 60.7 57.4 
			 Total resource costs 901.5 999.8 1,520.9 1,764.4 1,422.5 
			 (1) From 2009-10 Woking magistrates court legal staff were accounted for at an area level, thus decreasing the staff costs attributed to Woking magistrates court. (2) In 2007-08 Woking magistrates courthouse was transferred on to the HMCS asset register as part of the property transfer, thus increasing depreciation and amortisation, and diminution costs of Woking magistrates court in the ensuing years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Woking magistrates court capital costs 
			   £000 
			 2005-06 0 
			 2006-07 0 
			 2007-08 0 
			 2008-09 0 
			 2009-10 95.3

Magistrates: Surrey

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average annual number of magistrates in Surrey was in the period  (a) 1980 to 1989,  (b) 1990 to 1999 and  (c) 2000 to 2009.

Jonathan Djanogly: Data for the periods 1980 to 1995 are no longer retained. On average, there were 422 magistrates per year in Surrey during the period 1996 to 1999.
	Despite an extensive search, it was not possible to locate data for the year 2000 in the archives. On average, there were 367 magistrates per year in Surrey during the period 2001 to 2009.

Offensive Weapons: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been prosecuted for carrying an offensive weapon or bladed article in Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts in the West Yorkshire police force area for possession of offensive weapons or having an article with a blade or point in a public place, 2004 to 2008 (latest available) is shown in the following table.
	Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	Data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  Persons proceeded against at magistrates courts in the West Yorkshire police force area for offences of possession of offensive weapons and having an article with a blade or point( 1) , 2004-08( 2,3) 
			   Number 
			 2004 581 
			 2005 557 
			 2006 512 
			 2007 507 
			 2008 563 
			 (1) Includes offences under the following statutes: Prevention of Crime Act 1953-section 1 Criminal Justice Act 1988-section 139(2) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996-section 4(1). Criminal Justice Act 1988-section 139. Criminal Justice Act 1988-section 139A(1) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996-section 4(1) (2) The figures given relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Parliamentary Questions

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions his Department and its predecessor has not provided answers to Parliamentary questions on the grounds of commercial confidentiality in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested could be provided only by manually checking each parliamentary questions folder on the PQ database at a disproportionate cost. However, the database has been adapted so that this information will be centrally recorded in the future.

Police: Fines

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to give police the power to collect fines imposed by courts.

Jonathan Djanogly: Financial penalties are currently collected and enforced by HMCS. Assistance from the police may occasionally be required to execute warrants for fine default.
	There are no plans to provide the police with powers to collect fines.

Prison Service: Contracts

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which private finance initiative prison contracts have been re-financed since 1997; and what savings his Department achieved from each contract.

Crispin Blunt: Of the nine private finance initiative prison (PFI) contracts currently in place, our records show none have been re-financed and therefore no savings in relation to refinancing has occurred.

Prisoners

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners serving sentences on the latest date for which figures are available were born  (a) in the UK and  (b) outside the UK.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not record a prisoner's place of birth, only their nationality, which is self declared. As at June 2010, the most recent available data, there were 71,016 British nationals and 11,135 foreign nationals in prison (plus a further 2,851 had no nationality recorded).
	The number of foreign national prisoners held in all prison establishments in England and Wales by nationality is published quarterly in the population in custody bulletin, found under the following link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners' Release: Housing

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking  (a) directly and  (b) through partnership working to ensure that former offenders have access to secure housing on release.

Crispin Blunt: A range of housing advice is provided in prisons and in the community to help offenders to find suitable and sustainable housing. Initial needs assessments are provided both in custody and for those offenders serving community sentences. In prison, housing advice is either provided by an 'in house' team or by a voluntary sector body under contract. In the community, offenders with housing needs are signposted to appropriate housing support services.
	Most of the local resources for housing provision lie outside the criminal justice system and so the Ministry of Justice and NOMS play an important role in promoting strong local partnerships to tackle housing needs among offenders. The recent establishment of the cross-Government ministerial group on homelessness is expected to consider what further action is needed to support housing provision for offenders.

Prisoners: Drugs

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who were drug addicts in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) estimates that on average 55% of those entering prison are drug dependent.
	Drug treatment need in prisons is determined on a local basis. Central estimates of treatment need are reliant on epidemiological surveys. The figures above are derived primarily from an Office for National Statistics (ONS) report(1) which followed a large psychiatric survey of morbidity among prisoners(2) in 1997.
	A more recent source of information regarding prevalence of substance misuse among sentenced prisoners is 'The problems and needs of newly sentenced prisoners: results from a national survey', published by the Ministry of Justice in October 2008. This reviewed 1,457 newly sentenced prisoners from 49 prisons. It showed 62% of prisoners reporting some drug use and 41% of the sample reporting heroin, cocaine powder or crack cocaine (HCC) use during the four week period prior to custody.
	In 2009-10, a total of 60,067 clinical interventions for drug dependency and 66,459 substance misuse triage assessments (undertaken by CARAT(3) services) were conducted in prisons(4).
	(1) Singleton N., Farrell M. and Meltzer. H. (1998) 'Substance misuse among prisoners in England and Wales'. Office for National Statistics.
	(2) Office for National Statistics (1997) 'Psychiatric morbidity among prisoners'.
	(3) Counselling. Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare.
	(4) These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the level of detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system.

Prisoners: First Aid

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of  (a) obtaining health and safety certificates and  (b) first aid training for prisoners to enable them to work in prison.

Crispin Blunt: Neither the National Offender Management Services (NOMS) nor the Skills Funding Agency routinely collect the information requested.

Prisons: Violence

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many assaults by prisoners on  (a) a prisoner and  (b) a prison officer were recorded in each prison establishment in each year since 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The following table details the number of assault incidents, by establishment, of prisoner on prisoner and prisoner on prison officer from 2002 until 2009, the last full year for which we have figures. The National Offender Management Service does not record the number of assaults, rather it records assault incidents in which one or more persons have been assaulted.
	Prisons have a responsibility to keep prisoners, staff and visitors safe. The management of violence and its reduction, including support for staff, is central to successful prison management. It is fundamental to NOMS' objectives and vital to achieving the broad aims of safer custody.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded prisoner-on-prisoner assaults by prison: 2002-09 
			   Number of incidents 
			  Prison  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Acklington 49 39 33 38 73 65 50 91 
			 Albany (1)- (1)- 15 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 10 
			 Altcourse 167 162 185 194 195 225 153 197 
			 Ashfield 429 271 305 500 624 653 607 392 
			 Ashwell 8 9 15 17 9 17 17 11 
			 Askham Grange (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Aylesbury 44 26 21 78 80 79 89 138 
			 Bedford 49 44 49 41 55 36 55 62 
			 Belmarsh 60 76 66 53 51 25 27 40 
			 Birmingham 90 105 139 102 118 109 96 95 
			 Blantyre House (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Blundeston 36 39 26 14 15 33 30 42 
			 Brinsford 281 304 326 344 187 187 324 148 
			 Bristol 107 84 100 95 85 73 72 55 
			 Brixton 130 122 106 73 40 60 78 83 
			 Bronzefield n/a n/a 37 92 113 98 103 101 
			 Buckley Hall 46 72 76 62 57 37 24 19 
			 Bullingdon 59 40 36 59 44 68 87 85 
			 Bullwood Hall (1)- (1)- (1)- 20 15 10 12 7 
			 Bure n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Camp Hill 47 67 51 54 55 56 70 48 
			 Canterbury 9 (1)- 12 15 13 20 30 32 
			 Cardiff 46 51 53 50 47 25 19 14 
			 Castington 363 312 384 361 360 385 431 424 
			 Channings Wood 12 21 22 38 53 54 56 48 
			 Chelmsford 60 63 84 68 105 32 39 135 
			 Coldingley (1)- (1)- 17 8 20 11 13 27 
			 Cookham Wood 9 13 7 (1)- (1)- (1)- 19 95 
			 Dartmoor 25 21 15 30 26 27 38 29 
			 Deerbolt 154 167 204 164 152 160 180 214 
			 Doncaster 87 39 77 94 144 127 192 412 
			 Dorchester 9 13 11 19 18 33 26 25 
			 Dovegate 40 56 75 66 66 55 44 51 
			 Dover 14 16 9 9 23 64 47 38 
			 Downview 13 6 14 28 25 12 12 24 
			 Drake Hall (1)- 13 7 9 6 21 8 21 
			 Durham 65 59 79 89 146 127 120 84 
			 East Sutton Park (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Eastwood Park 15 26 33 51 47 15 10 14 
			 Edmunds Hill (1)- 47 26 23 27 27 21 34 
			 Elmley 88 84 104 134 100 125 122 104 
			 Erlestoke 6 10 26 26 22 35 38 23 
			 Everthorpe 9 (1)- 20 42 65 69 61 56 
			 Exeter 37 37 26 34 35 24 38 61 
			 Featherstone 60 52 54 69 70 90 103 62 
			 Feltham 459 568 573 547 475 427 551 604 
			 Ford 7 (1)- 20 17 6 6 10 (1)- 
			 Forest Bank 304 308 397 429 339 213 233 227 
			 Foston Hall 17 19 26 26 23 28 10 14 
			 Frankland 15 21 18 24 26 31 41 42 
			 Full Sutton 9 15 27 36 45 52 52 49 
			 Garth 36 23 26 59 63 65 92 77 
			 Gartree (1)- (1)- (1)- 10 8 12 9 10 
			 Glen Parva 222 240 230 269 341 364 464 538 
			 Gloucester 56 36 62 41 56 47 63 66 
			 Grendon (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 6 
			 Guys Marsh 43 41 49 43 57 73 68 49 
			 Haslar (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 8 15 9 
			 Haverigg 19 17 22 30 41 68 80 73 
			 Hewell Cluster (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 67 127 
			 Hewell: Blakenhurst 271 258 192 149 151 213 87 (1)- 
			 Hewell: Brockhill 23 25 19 28 20 8 7 (1)- 
			 Hewell: Hewell Grange (1)- (1)- 6 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 High Down 85 98 119 101 134 118 157 117 
			 Highpoint 130 82 92 73 74 80 82 87 
			 Hindley 88 177 63 112 348 498 491 485 
			 Hollesley Bay 179 45 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Holloway 98 91 80 94 121 118 112 56 
			 Holme House 71 89 69 86 98 124 96 106 
			 Hull 84 91 168 166 121 140 87 107 
			 Huntercombe 45 77 79 95 184 280 393 308 
			 Kennet n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (1)- 27 35 
			 Kingston (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Kirkham (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Kirklevington (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Lancaster 12 11 (1)- 10 10 20 13 9 
			 Lancaster Farms 130 16 185 435 362 356 326 264 
			 Latchmere House (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Leeds 95 154 138 109 104 92 81 75 
			 Leicester 70 59 53 42 51 34 40 58 
			 Lewes 89 104 60 62 73 63 130 90 
			 Leyhill (1)- (1)- (1)- 6 7 (1)- (1)- 6 
			 Lincoln 82 69 50 56 60 87 123 60 
			 Lindholme 17 43 42 33 37 52 57 47 
			 Littlehey 31 32 37 41 39 38 22 24 
			 Liverpool 94 108 119 128 162 226 222 207 
			 Long Lartin 16 17 16 36 38 43 29 29 
			 Low Newton 94 117 88 62 68 65 74 54 
			 Lowdham Grange 20 20 20 37 73 41 47 26 
			 Maidstone 16 10 21 14 11 19 16 15 
			 Manchester 191 218 187 142 172 127 143 144 
			 Moorland 177 139 34 94 89 91 86 85 
			 Moorland Open 28 11 (1)- 8 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Morton Hall 7 13 16 9 15 12 8 14 
			 Mount 17 25 16 55 48 45 77 68 
			 New Hall 47 32 77 84 44 56 64 39 
			 North Sea Camp (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 7 (1)- (1)- 8 
			 Northallerton 80 82 87 104 82 100 99 72 
			 Norwich 132 128 11 20 40 13 (1)- (1)- 
			 Nottingham 61 66 74 64 55 85 83 74 
			 Onley 516 509 161 152 153 216 222 170 
			 Parc 198 233 227 247 241 314 381 376 
			 Parkhurst 16 34 38 37 33 11 16 19 
			 Pentonville 129 165 120 139 155 145 186 200 
			 Peterborough n/a n/a n/a 100 221 220 213 200 
			 Portland 71 67 129 154 127 193 166 148 
			 Preston 23 73 67 78 78 105 117 120 
			 Ranby 39 38 19 30 52 42 67 75 
			 Reading 7 23 25 76 57 45 25 46 
			 Risley 44 63 110 103 104 108 112 64 
			 Rochester 33 51 102 78 100 75 143 187 
			 Rye Hill 10 19 40 54 65 66 35 19 
			 Send (1)- (1)- (1)- 17 11 8 13 9 
			 Shepton Mallet 10 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Shrewsbury 35 44 41 50 29 39 40 21 
			 Spring Hill (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Stafford 11 19 41 58 39 76 62 60 
			 Standford Hill (1)- (1)- (1)- 7 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Stocken 37 38 34 39 43 60 58 47 
			 Stoke Heath 239 137 239 438 505 526 500 409 
			 Styal 17 9 29 25 39 58 39 22 
			 Sudbury (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Swaleside 31 26 29 33 41 52 57 54 
			 Swansea 9 16 16 20 30 19 26 24 
			 Swinfen Hall 127 110 96 104 89 88 88 56 
			 Thorn Cross 56 43 7 19 143 84 42 31 
			 Usk\Prescoed (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 11 14 (1)- 
			 Verne 10 13 16 22 9 10 18 14 
			 Wakefield 10 8 18 25 24 17 36 20 
			 Wandsworth 54 51 74 77 69 95 59 79 
			 Warren Hill (1)- 93 162 257 268 321 333 270 
			 Wayland 25 65 51 59 49 58 56 54 
			 Wealstun 9 14 7 9 28 24 41 26 
			 Weare 48 52 55 23 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wellingborough 12 17 12 31 49 35 77 122 
			 Werrington 134 133 111 140 144 140 197 152 
			 Wetherby 41 175 414 492 403 353 388 367 
			 Whatton (1)- 9 (1)- (1)- 8 16 26 20 
			 Whitemoor 30 18 18 21 22 31 27 24 
			 Winchester 43 67 57 47 35 26 29 45 
			 Wolds 52 27 41 23 30 49 50 31 
			 Woodhill 7 27 51 66 57 52 93 57 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 69 89 129 141 147 137 123 108 
			 Wymott (1)- 8 (1)- 9 24 30 28 44 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Recorded prisoner-on-officer assaults by prison 2002-09 
			   Number of incidents 
			  Prison  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Acklington (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 7 9 9 8 
			 Albany (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Altcourse 46 44 40 45 36 51 43 40 
			 Ashfield 124 62 71 152 128 86 130 75 
			 Ashwell (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Askham Grange (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Aylesbury 12 15 (-) 15 18 13 29 24 
			 Bedford 17 13 10 14 27 12 13 11 
			 Belmarsh 82 52 44 34 22 22 14 27 
			 Birmingham 53 58 83 94 78 78 73 62 
			 Blantyre House (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Blundeston (1)- (1)- (1)- 7 7 (1)- 11 6 
			 Brinsford 24 31 26 17 8 12 17 10 
			 Bristol 51 25 45 28 41 14 34 31 
			 Brixton 73 48 64 49 37 36 31 49 
			 Bronzefield n/a n/a 17 85 77 41 80 65 
			 Buckley Hall 12 36 16 23 10 11 9 (1)- 
			 Bullingdon 24 23 14 15 23 21 21 19 
			 Bullwood Hall (1)- (1)- (1)- 8 7 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Bure n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Camp Hill 8 12 8 12 (1)- 10 16 (1)- 
			 Canterbury (1)- 7 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 8 (1)- 
			 Cardiff 14 11 15 19 14 (1)- (1)- 7 
			 Castington 53 52 53 50 42 41 30 32 
			 Channings Wood (1)- (1)- 10 8 7 16 17 12 
			 Chelmsford 26 15 23 37 51 21 13 42 
			 Coldingley (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 7 (1)- (1)- 
			 Cookham Wood (1)- 14 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 23 
			 Dartmoor 11 10 (1)- 11 7 8 15 10 
			 Deerbolt 9 (1)- 26 32 21 34 36 28 
			 Doncaster 30 25 22 24 45 28 16 38 
			 Dorchester (1)- (1)- (1)- 9 9 8 8 11 
			 Dovegate 29 46 75 34 55 41 15 17 
			 Dover (1)- 10 (1)- (1)- (1)- 12 26 10 
			 Downview 10 6 7 30 9 11 6 (1)- 
			 Drake Hall (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Durham 24 34 29 41 43 57 60 62 
			 East Sutton Park (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Eastwood Park (1)- 14 9 21 26 8 6 (1)- 
			 Edmunds Hill (1)- 9 20 9 13 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Elmley 23 25 20 30 17 27 39 22 
			 Erlestoke (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 9 6 (-) 
			 Everthorpe (1)- (1)- (1)- 9 13 12 6 15 
			 Exeter 12 11 (1)- 7 11 8 6 (1)- 
			 Featherstone 17 8 18 (1)- 9 16 7 10 
			 Feltham 83 103 172 131 116 104 90 97 
			 Ford (1)- (1)- 7 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Forest Bank 39 62 75 83 50 33 28 36 
			 Foston Hall 28 14 8 11 25 25 12 17 
			 Frankland 12 (1)- 13 9 10 19 13 20 
			 Full Sutton 7 11 11 18 12 8 19 13 
			 Garth 8 10 6 6 8 8 11 12 
			 Gartree (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Glen Parva 41 28 39 31 40 50 38 50 
			 Gloucester 12 13 6 12 13 6 6 17 
			 Grendon (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Guys Marsh (1)- 6 (1)- (1)- 12 15 16 18 
			 Haslar (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Haverigg (1)- 6 (1)- (1)- (1)- 17 10 15 
			 Hewell Cluster (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 9 23 
			 Hewell: Blakenhurst 10 25 51 44 31 35 12 (1)- 
			 Hewell: Brockhill 13 (1)- 10 14 9 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Hewell: Hewell Grange (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 High Down 59 45 56 38 69 66 99 60 
			 Highpoint 46 20 18 13 22 20 25 26 
			 Hindley 25 23 13 30 55 41 52 76 
			 Hollesley Bay 18 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Holloway 88 88 93 78 99 91 95 48 
			 Holme House 13 20 18 27 24 20 14 20 
			 Hull 16 27 29 33 23 30 20 22 
			 Huntercombe 15 18 15 14 32 22 31 63 
			 Kennet n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Kingston (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Kirkham (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Kirklevington (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Lancaster (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Lancaster Farms 20 10 27 46 52 32 16 22 
			 Latchmere House (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Leeds 57 75 39 36 16 18 17 26 
			 Leicester 15 11 (1)- 7 16 7 9 (1)- 
			 Lewes 14 20 10 15 13 14 20 14 
			 Leyhill (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Lincoln 22 11 22 20 15 22 34 22 
			 Lindholme (1)- 18 (1)- 12 13 19 22 9 
			 Littlehey 6 12 10 10 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Liverpool 37 46 35 21 18 30 34 23 
			 Long Lartin 7 (1)- (1)- 15 11 15 9 9 
			 Low Newton 27 16 25 27 19 18 24 16 
			 Lowdham Grange (1)- (1)- 12 16 34 39 31 11 
			 Maidstone (1)- 6 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Manchester 53 58 60 69 65 77 69 79 
			 Moorland 22 21 13 20 16 14 21 (1)- 
			 Moorland Open (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Morton Hall (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 6 
			 Mount (1)- 13 7 8 15 20 20 23 
			 New Hall 25 21 14 23 57 46 24 22 
			 North Sea Camp (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Northallerton 6 11 13 10 6 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Norwich 24 24 17 18 17 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Nottingham 12 15 28 12 22 43 27 34 
			 Onley 68 86 13 27 29 23 13 14 
			 Parc 27 55 57 44 48 49 53 61 
			 Parkhurst 9 18 16 14 (1)- 12 (1)- (1)- 
			 Pentonville 113 90 94 120 59 61 86 70 
			 Peterborough n/a n/a n/a 72 134 112 75 78 
			 Portland 22 15 41 37 41 37 24 20 
			 Preston 10 9 18 24 29 44 47 21 
			 Ranby 9 8 (1)- (1)- 16 16 26 17 
			 Reading 6 7 16 14 11 9 11 (1)- 
			 Risley 15 18 26 32 28 23 22 9 
			 Rochester (-) 15 16 23 13 (1)- 30 30 
			 Rye Hill 18 20 38 65 47 41 14 8 
			 Send (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Shepton Mallet (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Shrewsbury (1)- 11 (1)- (1)- 6 (1)- (1)- 6 
			 Spring Hill (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Stafford 8 10 6 13 11 8 9 8 
			 Standford Hill (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Stocken 10 11 9 12 7 9 15 6 
			 Stoke Heath 49 20 37 52 64 66 54 60 
			 Styal (1)- 7 12 13 32 45 18 10 
			 Sudbury (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Swaleside 31 18 16 7 10 (1)- 7 22 
			 Swansea (1)- 6 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Swinfen Hall 7 8 (1)- 10 9 9 10 8 
			 Thorn Cross (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Usk\Prescoed (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Verne (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Wakefield 7 7 7 10 8 12 12 15 
			 Wandsworth 79 73 84 86 36 31 36 44 
			 Warren Hill (1)- 12 19 34 35 46 44 35 
			 Wayland 7 11 8 (1)- 9 10 18 12 
			 Wealstun (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 6 12 7 
			 Weare 9 10 6 (1)- n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wellingborough (1)- (1)- (1)- 16 13 (1)- 13 7 
			 Werrington 7 22 18 19 20 13 30 21 
			 Wetherby 9 11 70 66 56 35 40 47 
			 Whatton (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 11 (1)- (1)- 
			 Whitemoor 22 15 16 18 10 22 18 16 
			 Winchester 14 13 14 10 10 (1)- (1)- 15 
			 Wolds 12 7 10 (1)- 8 (1)- 7 (1)- 
			 Woodhill 16 35 39 72 68 52 39 19 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 54 37 69 58 54 69 63 49 
			 Wymott (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 9 9 
			 n/a = Not applicable-prison not open. (1) Numbers less than 6 are not provided.  Notes: 1. A new key performance indicator for serious assaults was introduced in 2003-04 and as a result reporting of all assault incidents improved. Reported incidents before 2005 are therefore not directly comparable with later figures. It is now expected that all assaults, including fights, should be reported whether or not there was an injury. As this was not the case in the past care needs to be taken when interpreting changes over the years. 2. Rises or falls in numbers of assault incidents from one year to the next are not a good indicator of underlying trend. Changes to prisons will affect numbers of incidents. In addition, some prisons may have opened new wings/house blocks or closed others for refurbishment. These often explain large increases or decreases from one year to the next. 3. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.

Private Rented Housing: Landlords

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many landlords have been  (a) sentenced to custody and  (b) fined for offences related to lettings in the private rented sector under the provisions of each relevant Act in each quarter of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of offenders sentenced at all courts for offences under the 2004 Housing Act (which covers most offences by landlords), England and Wales 2006 to 2008 (latest available). Other than where specified in the statute, information held by the Ministry of Justice on its Court Proceedings Database does not identify a defendant's professional status, which includes whether or not they were a landlord.
	Landlords may also be prosecuted under the 1977 Rent Act or the 1984 Landlords and Tenants Act, but information collated under these Acts cannot identify the landlord from other defendants either.
	
		
			  Number sentenced at all courts under the Housing Act 2004( 1) , 2006- 08 
			   2006  2007  2008 
			 Fine 6 37 123 
			 Conditional discharge - 2 3 
			 Otherwise dealt with(2) - - 3 
			 Absolute discharge - 1 - 
			 Community sentence - - - 
			 Suspended sentence - - - 
			 Immediate custody - - - 
			 Total sentenced 6 40 129 
			 (1) Comprises: Summary offences except under SS.72(1), (2) and (6), 95(1) and (5), 139, 236 and 241 Summary offences connected with HMO and housing licences Failure to comply with overcrowding order or obstructing a relevant person in performance of anything required by Parts 1 to 4 of this Act Intentionally altering, suppressing or destroying document required to be produced under S.235 notice (2) The category 'other' includes: one day in police cells, disqualification order, restraining order, confiscation order, travel restriction order, disqualification from driving, and recommendation for deportation and other miscellaneous disposals. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Prosecutions: Students

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many individuals have been  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of failing to declare student status under section 112 or 111 of the Social Securities Administration Act 1992;
	(2)  how many prosecutions there have been under section 112 of the Social Securities Administration Act 1992 since 2001; and in how many of those cases  (a) a guilty plea was entered and  (b) a guilty verdict was returned after a plea of not guilty was entered.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under sections 111 or 112 of the Social Securities Administration Act 1992 in England and Wales for the years 2001 to 2008 (latest available) are shown in the following tables.
	Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on individuals proceeded against is limited to the description provided in the statute. Sections 111 and 112 of the Social Securities Act 1992 do not separately identify individuals that failed to declare their student status, these figures are not available.
	Information on guilty pleas at the magistrates courts are not collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice. As cases under sections 111 and 112 of the Social Securities Administration Act 1992 will be heard at the magistrates court, plea data are not available.
	Data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  N umber( 1)  of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under section 111 or 112( 2)  of the Social Securities Administration Act 1992, in England and Wales, for the years 2001 - 08 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  Statute  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			  Section 111 (a) Social Securities Administration Act 1992 
			 Persons 343 293 233 197 246 202 370 303 
			 Others(3) 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 
			 Total 343 293 234 197 249 202 370 303 
			  
			  Section 111 (b) Social Securities Administration Act 1992 
			 Persons 2,160 1,945 2,260 1,993 2,078 1,838 2,855 2,455 
			 Others(3) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 2,160 1,945 2,260 1,993 2,078 1,838 2,855 2,455 
			  
			  Section 112 Social Securities Administration Act 1993 
			 Persons 7,590 6,296 7,033 5,796 7,431 6,072 6,788 5,689 
			 Others(3) 0 0 3 3 2 1 3 2 
			 Total 7,590 6,296 7,036 5,799 7,433 6,073 6,791 5,691 
		
	
	
		
			   2005  2006  2007  2008( 4) 
			  Statute  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			  Section 111 (a) Social Securities Administration Act 1992 
			 Persons 522 414 457 369 554 453 194 153 
			 Others(3) 1 0 1 1 1 1 2 0 
			 Total 523 414 458 370 555 454 196 153 
			  
			  Section 111 (b) Social Securities Administration Act 1992 
			 Persons 4,012 3,453 5,719 4,871 7,031 6,024 6,440 5,355 
			 Others(3) 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 
			 Total 4,013 3,454 5,719 4,871 7,032 6,024 6,441 5,356 
			  
			  Section 112 Social Securities Administration Act 1993 
			 Persons 6,206 5,007 4,327 3,239 3,049 2,458 3,348 2,704 
			 Others(3) 2 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 6,208 5,008 4,330 3,241 3,049 2,458 3,348 2,704 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) The following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions have been used: Social Security Administration Act 1992 S.111(a)(b)-Wilful obstruction of an inspector or authorised officer; failure to produce documents or furnish information Social Security Administration Act 1992 Sec.111A as added by Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 Sec 13,-Dishonest representation for obtaining benefit etc. Social Security Administration Act 1992 Sec 112 False representation. Contravention of regulations etc. (3) Others includes companies and public bodies (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice

Public Contract Regulations 2006

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Legal Services Commission has taken to ensure compliance with Regulation 15(8) of the Public Contract Regulations 2006 regarding access to electronic documentation in respect of tender processes in 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: Regulation 15 (8) of the Public Contract Regulations 2006 states:
	"Where the contracting authority does not offer unrestricted and full direct access by electronic means to the contract documents in accordance with paragraph (6), the contracting authority shall send the contract documents to an economic operator within six days of the receipt of a request from that economic operator, provided that the documents are requested in good time before the date specified in the contract notice as the final date for the receipt by it of tenders".
	While the Legal Services Commission (LSC) is not under a strict obligation to comply with this in respect of its legal services contracts (as they are classified as Tart B' contracts), the LSC has offered unrestricted and full direct access to the 2010 contract documentation for the purposes of the 2010 tender exercises for mainstream publicly funded civil and crime services. The contract documentation was made available at the time of the tenders via the LSC website to all applicant organisations.

Public Procurement Law

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) advice and  (b) guidance the Legal Services Commission has issued on compliance with public procurement law relating on terms and conditions of tenders in respect of (i) non-discrimination, (ii) equal treatment, (iii) transparency, (iv) mutual recognition and (v) proportionality to those responsible for formulating such terms and conditions.

Jonathan Djanogly: The drafting of the contract and tender Terms and Conditions was supervised by the Legal Service Commission's (LSC) legal team which consists of qualified solicitors with extensive experience in public procurement exercises. The legal team were assisted by external solicitors and counsel on various aspects of this procurement exercise. The legal team also delivered appropriate training and guidance on procurement legal principles to assessors. The LSC's procurement team, some of whom are qualified by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, were also involved.

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the location is of each rape crisis centre in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: Victims of rape and sexual assault can seek support from a range of voluntary-sector providers, including rape crisis centres. The Government do not currently hold details of the location of each rape crisis centre in England and Wales.
	The commitment made in the Coalition agreement to provide stable, long-term funding to existing rape crisis centres remains a priority and, as part of efforts to deliver this commitment, work is under way to map rape crisis centre provision throughout England and Wales. The results of this analysis, including the locations of centres and details of how we intend to deliver the commitment, will be made public later in the year once the outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review are known.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times handcuffs have been used on children in each secure training centre in each of the last five years; and for what purpose in each case.

Crispin Blunt: It is essential that approved and effective techniques are available to staff in custodial establishments who find themselves dealing with young people whose behaviour puts the young people themselves, or others, at risk. Handcuffs are permitted for use in secure training centres only in exceptional circumstances where their use would be the safest option. Any use of handcuffs must be approved by the director of the centre.
	The available information is set out in the following table. The data have been supplied by the Youth Justice Board and have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.
	
		
			  Use of handcuffs in secure training centres, 2006 to 2010( 1) 
			   Medway  Rainsbrook  Oakhill  Hassockfield 
			 2006 0 0 7 36 
			 2007 0 0 0 9 
			 2008 0 0 0 7 
			 2009 0 0 0 1 
			 2010 0 0 0 4 
			 (1 )Data supplied by the Youth Justice Board.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times children have been made to kneel down on the ground to have handcuffs attached or removed in each secure training centre in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: It is essential that approved and effective techniques are available to staff in custodial establishments who find themselves dealing with young people whose behaviour puts the young people themselves, or others, at risk. Handcuffs are permitted for use in secure training centres only in exceptional circumstances where their use would be the safest option. Any use of handcuffs must be approved by the director of the centre.
	The available data, provided by the Youth Justice Board, indicates that no young people were made to kneel down to have handcuffs attached or removed in the past five years. Data for Oakhill between June 2005 and June 2007 are not available. The data have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time.

Solicitors: Children

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the number of Children's Panel-accredited solicitors based in Bridgend in each year from 2000 to 2010; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the number of Children's Panel-accredited solicitors there will be in Bridgend from October 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Law Society runs the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme. The Legal Services Commission therefore does not hold records of membership of this accreditation scheme.
	The tender process for the 2010 Standard Civil Contracts run by the LSC is ongoing and will be complete only once all appeals are completed and necessary pre-contract verification checks have finished. As part of these processes the LSC anticipates that there may be some movement of provision with additional contracts being awarded to those successful at appeal and potential withdrawal of offers if verification identifies that organisations are not in a position to deliver the work provisionally awarded. The LSC estimates that these two processes will be completed in mid September, after which time they will have a final list of organisations delivering family services in Bridgend and will at that time be able to provide information on the numbers of children panel members delivering services under the new contracts.

Young Offender Institutions

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average annual cost to the public purse was of a place in  (a) HMP Hollesley Bay,  (b) HMP Warren Hill and  (c) Warren Hill Young Offender Institution in each of the last two years.

Crispin Blunt: The average annual cost of a place is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Establishment  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Hollesley Bay 20,408 20,100 
			 Warren Hill 44,147 44,580 
		
	
	The figures are based on the financial outturns for each year and the average certified normal accommodation (CNA). HMP & YOI Warren Hill has been a juvenile holding establishment for the period referred to and therefore there is only one figure presented.

Youth Custody: Restraint Techniques

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2009,  Official Report, column 181W, on youth custody: restraint techniques, what piloting of new systems of restraint he has undertaken since October 2009.

Crispin Blunt: As part of the ongoing work to implement the recommendations in the Independent Review of Restraint, the National Tactical Response Group is developing a new behaviour management and restraint system which is intended to replace PCC (the system currently used in Secure Training Centres). This new system will be examined and accredited by a panel of medical and operational experts. The accreditation process will begin this autumn. Once accredited an early adaptor site will be identified and the system assessed further before wider roll-out is considered.

WALES

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department and its predecessor spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

David Jones: The Wales Office was established in July 1999. Records before 2004 do not exist for the reimbursement of staff expenses. In recent years staff have sometimes filed claims spanning a number of months but submitted one claim, and it is those claims that usually feature in the 10 largest in each year. The figures for each year from 2004 along with the 10 highest claims in each year are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   T and S Highest Claim  Total for year 
			  2004-05  17,543 
			 1 1,131.50  
			 2 972.36  
			 3 513.20  
			 4 503.55  
			 5 490.74  
			 6 411.70  
			 7 357.60  
			 8 346.41  
			 9 318.35  
			 10 291.35  
			 2 005-06  28,537 
			 1 914.21  
			 2 891.95  
			 3 679.10  
			 4 588.55  
			 5 580.65  
			 6 552.35  
			 7 546.40  
			 8 531.50  
			 9 468.82  
			 10 458.30  
			  2006-07  37,182 
			 1 1,230.12  
			 2 739.32  
			 3 630.27  
			 4 558.95  
			 5 554.80  
			 6 540.55  
			 7 538.67  
			 8 454.57  
			 9 429.16  
			 10 429.13  
			  2007-08  47,779 
			 1 514.60  
			 2 512.20  
			 3 488.70  
			 4 425.77  
			 5 403.30  
			 6 399.06  
			 7 386.80  
			 8 364.35  
			 9 360.60  
			 10 357.15  
			  2008-09  76,815 
			 1 1,942.13  
			 2 864.53  
			 3 809.10  
			 4 645.60  
			 5 595.70  
			 6 560.60  
			 7 517.15  
			 8 513.80  
			 9 470.70  
			 10 461.50  
			  2009-10  77,078 
			 1 3,032.81  
			 2 793.67  
			 3 549.40  
			 4 523.10  
			 5 519.12  
			 6 508.94  
			 7 484.54  
			 8 469.85  
			 9 458.00  
			 10 436.60

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Public Buildings: Environment Protection

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what incentives his Department provides for public buildings to be built in an environmentally friendly way.

Andrew Stunell: Communities and Local Government is responsible for the England and Wales Building Regulations. These set out the standards which new buildings must meet, and Part L of the Regulations (conservation of fuel and power) sets out energy efficiency standards for all new domestic and non-domestic buildings. The current Part L represents 90% improvement on 1990 standards, and in October 2010, the new standards will specify a further 25% reduction in carbon emissions from new buildings compared to the current 2006 Regulations. The Building Regulations cover all public buildings apart from the Crown Estate (buildings owned by Government Departments). There are no incentives offered for complying with the regulations, but the Government's proposed Green Deal will provide building occupiers with access to funding for energy efficiency measures, to be repaid through savings on their energy bills.